Customs Remove HND Dichotomy, Promote 3487 Officers

Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officers who are holders of Higher National Diploma (HND), on Monday received good news from the Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ali, who raised their salary grade from 07 to level 08.
The Customs boss, who decorated some of the 3,487 senior officers that were newly promoted in Abuja, told them that their promotion was purely on merit and a call for more work.
He also announced that the rank structure of the Nigeria Customs Service has been aligned with that of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The decisions, according to him, were expected to boost the morale of the officers and eliminate confusion in the seniority of officers.
His words: “In compliance with circular Ref: HCSF/EIR/CND/100/ST/98 of 8th September, 2016 from Head of Service of the Federation and the approval of Government since April 1992 for the Nigeria Customs Service to align with the Nigeria Police Force rank restructure and in fulfillment of the CGC’s mandate to reorganize and reform the Nigeria Customs Service. The CGC has directed as follows:
“i) All HND holders currently on salary grade level 07 are automatically moved to salary grade level 08. Supplementary budget will be made for payment of arrears of salary;
ii) The rank structure of the service is aligned with the Nigeria Police Force forthwith;
iii) Officers in the Inspectorate Cadre on Salary Level 08 and above are to align to appropriate rank in the Superintendent Cadre.
“This is expected to boost the morale of officers and eliminate confusion in the seniority of officers.”
Ali told the officers that the days of basing promotion on sentiments are over, stressing leverage of federal character that they enjoy at the point of entry, what counts soon after that is merit and hard-work.
He said that the promoted officers which include the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah that is now a Deputy Comptroller, do not owe anyone any gratitude except God and their efforts that earned them the promotion.
The Comptroller General said: “we had in the past promoted people who did not deserve it and that was what we met in the management. But now merit is key to your promotion.”
He also announced that the Customs and Command College, will in June commence operation as a full command.

We Voted Buhari The Dictator Because We Needed It Tough On Polithiefcians

It appears the boys in the Senate are out to rubbish Baba. They were afraid at the initial time because of the Baba of the old. But now that they know that Baba wants to be seen as a Democrat, they are out to use Constitutional loopholes to trap him.
Unfortunately for Baba he is looking at democracy only from the American mirror, he is yet to understand that democracies come in phases, shades and forms. For a DEMOCRACY like ours, it is still a growing one. With the kind of military experience we had over the years and the criminal tendencies of average Nigerian Politicians, we need a civilian dictatorship driven by a man of integrity with love for country until such a time when everybody have been beaten into shape as it happened in Singapore.
We are not yet ready for the kind of democracy that Baba is practicing. We need speed. There is need to cut a lot bureaucracratic tapes and get things in shape quickly. We are making a lot of excuses with democracy. Ours has to be modeled to suit our needs.
Unfortunately we knew Baba was a tough man before we voted him in. Now If Baba cannot take tough stands, especially against some rascally governors, Ministers, civil servants, judges and criminal junta senators, as Obasanjo did, then the critical reason for bringing him to power is lost.
Imagine how the Senate denied him the opportunity to borrow money to get the economy out of recession. They are seating on a bill that is supposed to speed up war against corruption. They are refusing to open their books and budget for scrutiny and many of them are people who are either running from Justice or are drawing us back from justice.
Why can't we have a civilian dictatorship?
We may complain about tough stands in the beginning but in the end it will pay. Although we should encourage diplomacy and the rule of law but there should be no banters with criminals and those who insist on making the country ungovernable and those who think only about their selfish interest.
With what the way the Senate is playing with Baba, it will be difficult to achieve anything of note or to move speedily. Baba should go to the trenches with these pedestrian Senate and rescue his administration from delays. Some Senators who are supposed to be in jail have highjacked the legislature and are using it to manipulate the system. Baba must bring people like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu closer and make his executive be up and doing. The Senate is making Baba look weak.
I am angry.




By Great Imo Jonathan

IBRAHIM MAGU REACTS TO SENATE REJECTION

My priority is to fight corruption. My confirmation has not changed anything. We have always been on duty I will work until the last day whether confirmation or no confirmation.
The greatest violation against human right is crime against the society and the humanity but everybody has a duty and responsibility to fight corruption and I also has a responsibility. I assure you that we will fight to finish.
We will never be deterred because what we are doing is trying to investigate what has gone before and protect the future of our children and our future generation. So, if we don’t work today and fight against corruption, the future is not guaranteed, the future of our children is not guaranteed.
So, we must wake up, where ever you find yourself, fight corruption. Anytime you discover that I am corrupt, expose me.”
Those allegations can not stand the test of time because they can not be proven. You know, you can’t just raise mere allegations without giving the person opportunity to answer you. There is issue of fundamental human right and the right of fair hearing is there.
Up till this time, DSS has not called me and I am even surprised that the same report is coming back and this time around it is signed by somebody. I doubt the genuineness of that report. But I think we need to identify those who have the interest of this country at heart.

THE EFCC, convicted another fuel subsidy suspect, Rowaye Jubril sentenced to 10 years imprisonment

He sentenced Jibril to 10 years in prison, and also gave an order of restitution to his company directing that N963.7 million be refunded to the federal government.
The defendants were first arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in November 2012 alleging their involvement in fuel subsidy scam under the past administration.
It can be recalled that the judge had earlier convicted Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, and their company, Ontario Oil and Gas, for fuel subsidy fraud.

Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court has convicted Rowaye Jubril and his company, Brila Energy Ltd, on 13 counts of fuel subsidy fraud.

Senate Sends Customs CG Away For Not Wearing Uniform

The Senate on Thursday sent the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) away for not wearing uniform as he was instructed.
The senators were angry that Ali did not put on Customs uniform, saying that as the head of Customs, he should live by example.
Ali, who appeared in ‘kaftan’ defied the lawmakers’ order that he should come in uniform.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu had asked the Customs boss why he failed to appear before the lawmakers in uniform as requested.
Ali’s reply was that the Senate did not state in its last letter to him that he should appear in uniform.
Ekweremadu, however, said the last letter only served as a reminder of the first letter to him, in which he was asked to come in uniform.
Unanimously, the senators refused to attend to him and ordered him to come back next Wednesday in uniform.