Nasir Dambatta
7 January 2009
opinion
Beyond interception of contraband such as illegal drugs and weapons, enforcement of import/export restrictions; or the use of intelligence risk assessment, the Nigeria Customs service is obviously one of the most viable institutions of the Federal Government. The service was unrestricted by dynamics of international trade in today's world
When former Liberian President Charles Taylor was declared wanted by the ICC for genocide, it was an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service Mr. Etim Umoh that arrested Taylor on the 26th of March 2006. The young customs officer was said to have turned down the offer of a $400,000 bribe from Taylor. If Taylor had escaped the lenses of other security agencies to get to the nation's boarder, the same could not be said of the customs service. The agency now partners with Farida Waziri's EFCC to fight the war on corruption.
It is also obvious that the Nigeria Customs service has been one of the most veritable money-spinners for the nation's economy. Considering the significance of the agency to the country's economy, the issue of who heads it in 2009 is equally important. The incumbent Comptroller-General Hamman Bello Ahmed from Adamawa State is said to be due for retirement from the service after serving for 30 years. This is probably the first time in the history of the Customs service that a Comptroller-General would retire without a standby successor, as has been the tradition. Could it an oversight on the part of the Federal Government or is the successor not yet available? Anyway, that is an issue for another day.
Public opinion regarding the real successor for the CG has been oscillating between regional sentiment and years of service as well cadre. In recent weeks, not a few serving senior officials of customs service have become the subject of hypothesis, even when it is still unclear whether the Federal Government or President Yar'adua has any candidate in mind. Even if the President does have anyone in mind, the Rule of Law mantra would definitely guide the process. At the moment about seven notable names remain the focus of attention in this long awaited succession.
There is, top on the list, the Assistant Comptroller in the Administration section of the Service, Bala Garba Makarfi. The man is seen by some people as someone who has put in quite a number of years in the service. His chances of becoming the successor could be very high.
But another formidable candidate for the job is Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Dikko, who is also with the national headquarters. Some other Nigerians have a feeling that someone like Assistant Comptroller John Ate could be the good man for the job having been in the service for quite sometime too and presently holding forte in Zone A (the Lagos end).The man has some level of goodwill in the service but has kept a low profile in matters to do with power.
Other Nigerians have a preference for someone like the Assistant Comptroller in charge of Port-Harcourt, the Kebbi-born Salisu Argungu. The man has thus far been able to carve a niche for himself in the service and could enjoy the support of other well-connected people within and outside the service, like the minister of the Federal capital Territory, Alhaji Adamu Aliero and a handful of other sons of Kebbi who would gladly lend the man a helping hand.
Quite formidable for the job of the Comptroller-General is the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Enforcement, Adamu Rabiu. As DCG, he has added advantages when compared to those on the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General. But he too may have to be lucky enough to beat the popular Mrs. Akor, another Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Support Services. She is believed to have a strong command of loyalty within the service. She could be a strong challenge for the chances of fellow DCG, Adamu Rabiu.
Another possible candidate who may not have very strong chance of clinching the seat is Assistant Comptroller in charge of Enugu, Ahmed Idris Hardawa. The man is said to have a friendly mien that has always endeared him to both his subordinates and super-ordinates in the service. But whether that can count in his favour remains to be seen.
At the moment, the issue of who, among these prominent candidates could become the next Comptroller-General has thus far been an exercise in conjectures. What is obvious however, is the fact that out of these seven possible candidates for the job, one could emerge. From the casual discussions going on in the public domain, it is highly unlikely, that the seven officials of the service would miss the golden opportunity of heading one of Nigeria's most juicy agencies.
Dambatta is MD/CEO of Fastrack Multimedia Network Ltd, Kaduna.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Trust. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
