New Customs Boss Ali Orders Officers to Declare their Assets Within 14 Days

The no-nonsense Comptroller-General of Customs, Hammed Ali, is set to make sure Nigeria gets even more money from the Customs by stopping officers from stealing and living far above their means.

Consequently, he has directed all officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service to declare their assets within 14 days. Any officer who fails to declare his/her asserts will be dealt with seriously.

A circular by the comptroller-general and addressed to deputy comptrollers-general, zonal coordinators and customs area controllers said the new measure was aimed at ensuring transparency and compliance with the rule of law.

According to the circular, the directive was in compliance with “the Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act Cap B1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

Although the act provides for asset declaration by all bank employees, it also empowers the president to extend its application to other categories of persons.

“Specifically, Section 12 (1) states that “The provision of this act shall apply to the comptroller-general, deputy comptroller-general, assistant comptroller-general, chief collector, principal collector and other officer, staff or employee of the Nigeria Customs Service as it applies to a chief executive or an employee of a bank,” said the circular.

Ali said the 14-day ultimatum for compliance would be strictly enforced. Customs officers be warned!