Implement Customs Service Act, advise Hameed Ali to resign – Group to Tinubu

The Leadership Integrity Forum, LIF, has asked President Bola Tinubu to effect the removal of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali (rtd) from office in line with the newly signed Nigeria Customs Act 2023.

Recall that, in May, a few days before the expiration of former President Buhari’s tenure, he assented to the Nigerian Customs Service Act.

In a letter titled “Sit tight syndrome an anathema of African Culture, Nigeria Customs Service as Case Study,” the Communications Manager LIF, Clement Adesanya, claimed that the continuous stay of Hameed Ali in office contravenes the agency’s act and is unlawful.

Adesanya explained that the Nigeria Customs Service is governed by the rule of law and not of force, stressing that Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) should be advised to allow the smooth handover of machinery of administration to pave way for the new lease of economic trade facilitation policies provided by the new Act.

While making reference to some sections of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, the group said, “Section 14(1)(a) of the Act which provides as follows “The President shall appoint a career officer from the service, not below the rank of Assistant-Comptroller General (who shall be responsible for the overall management of the service) and be accountable for all revenue collections and all expenditures made under this Act”.

The Act gave several other functions to the Comptroller-General under section 14 (b) (c) (e) (f) (g) (h) of the Act which is the appointing provisions for the Chief Executive of the Customs Service created under the Act.

Adesanya said, ”It is the expectation of everyone that since a law comes into operation, after the assent of the President or when it is intended by the Act, by necessary implication the erstwhile Comptroller-General who is not a career officer from the Service of Nigeria Customs should have vacated his sit for the proper and administrative operation of the Act.