Lagos — The Federal Government yesterday approved the re-structuring of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) into four departments.

This follows the removal of the erstwhile Comptroller-General of Customs, Elder Jacob Gyang Buba, and the appointment of Alhaji Hamman Bello Ahmed as his successor.

The restructuring is coming on the heels of the acceptance of a recommendation of the global customs watchdog, the World Customs Organisation (WCO) strategic plan to review the structure put in place through the 2004 Presidential Committee on Customs.

A statement issued at the NCS headquarters said the departments are Corporate Support Service, Strategic Research and Policy, Tariff and Trade and Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection.

Government also approved the retirement from service of eight Deputy Comptrollers General, including DCG Bassey Etta, A. K Haliru, ACG F. E. Umoh, S. N. Abubakar, A. F Fadahunsi, B. L. Kpagih, B. G Ali, and A. O. Amasa.

Those in the new management team include, Hamman Bello Ahmed - Comptroller-General, Alhaji Rabiu Adamu - Deputy Comptroller-General, Ezekiel Okeniyi, Dr Bennard-Shaw Nwadialo, Mrs Rhoda Akoh, D. I. Abdullahi -Assistant Comptroller-General, A. J Atte, Gotip. G. E, Gwary D. B, Ofem E.O, Adegoke M, Saka Y. A, Othman M.T, Argungu S, Iheanacho N. O, Ayanlaja N O, Makarfi G. B, Dabai S and Buba H. Sequel to the development, the Federal Government has approved appointment of four Deputy Comptrollers General (DCGs) to head the new departments. The four DCGs, alongside Ahmed, will constitute the new management of the service.

The statement added that all the new appointments are with "immediate effect."