CAC, Oyo/Osun Customs Command
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Oyo/Osun Customs Command has continued to strengthen its enforcement capacity to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the rage against smuggling in the Command. The Comptroller Odibu Christopher Ogar led proactive team has continued to clampdown on unrepentant smugglers who are working for personal gains, to the detriment of our economy. Infact hard times await recalcitrant smugglers in the Western axis of the country as the Nigeria Customs service new Area Controller for Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller Odibu Christopher Ogar has pledged his determination to leave no stone unturned in dealing decisively with them with a view to safeguarding the national economy for the wellbeing of the people.
In his address to Grassroots Publishers in Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Thursday, Comptroller Odibu who recently took over from the immediate past CAC, Comptroller Chikan Elisha David (now the Assistant Comptroller General (Human Resources and Development at the Customs Command Headquarters), declared pointedly that the Nigeria Customs service zero tolerance for smuggling is unalterable, stressing that the service will do everything in its capacity to fight it.
Excerpts:
Can we meet you Sir?
I am Comptroller Odibu Christopher Ogar. I hail from Cross River State, had my B.A. (Hons) in History from the University of Calabar, before joining the Nigeria Customs Service in 1987 as an Assistant Superintendent I of Customs. Since then, I have worked mainly in the Enforcement Unit, Revenue Unit and the Customs Intelligence Unit respectively. I have attended various professional courses that have boosted my experience as a seasoned Customs Officer. Customs Valuation (with special reference to ACV) Port Harcourt – October, 2009; Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Abuja 2013 (EIMC 5) where I was conferred with a fellow of the Security Institute (fsi); Enforcement Strategies Course by NCS, Abuja, 2011. Sequel to my present posting as Controller,I was the Comptroller,Human Resources Department Headquarters, Abuja in 2016 before my transfer to Ikorodu Lighter Terminal Area Command in 2017.
Can you highlight some of your achievements in terms of revenue generation?
Since I assumed office as the Controller in charge of Oyo/ Osun Customs Command, we have made about 180 seizures ranging from Tokunbo cars, bags of parboiled rice, used tyres, kegs of vegetable oil, bales of secondhand clothes, bags of sugar and so on. The Command has generated the sum of Thirteen Billion, Six Hundred and Forty Five Million, Seven Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, One Hundred and Forty Seven Naira, Sixty Kobo only (N13, 645,713,147.60) from January 2018 till date to the coffers of the federal government mainly from excise factories. We have been able to record the above sum despite the challenges on double taxation as the tariff on some products like beverages and tobacco has increased resulting to low patronage.
How do you intend to checkmate smuggling activities in this command in order to generate more revenue?
When I came on board, I went for familiarization tour and then came back to my drawing table to look at the solution I can proffer to some of the issues in the area. When I got to Saki, I noticed there was no strong Nigeria Customs presence. So one of the things I did was to visit the Baale of Saki demanding for land to site Customs office and even barracks so that CPC can be installed in that area for proper operations in the command. The Baale was so happy saying no Controller has ever made this request and so granted it immediately. The essence of that is for us to get to Nigeria Customs authorities, so that they can get to state government and by so doing, there will be united efforts. If the state government can construct a road leading to a real border town with Republic of Benin, it will reduce smuggling activities, other crimes and also encourage legitimate trade.
What helps you to stand out in terms of competence and skills on the job?
Discipline and training received in the Service. Sometimes we encounter some corrupt people trying to entice us to compromise. But refusal to yield and ability to reject such enticement led some of us to where we are now. Today, there is discipline in the Service with the leadership of CGC Ali. We can confront smugglers and individuals with criminal tendencies without any fear.
There have been cases of clashes between customs officers, smugglers and host communities. Are there measures you have put in place to prevent future occurrences?
Yes, I must thank you the Grassroots Publishers most immensely for the public enlightenment campaign you are doing on behalf of Nigeria Customs Service. Globally speaking, no country in the world has stamped out smuggling completely. You can only bring smuggling to the barest minimum. Some smugglers see smuggling as part of their life, as a way of life. For instance now, in some border towns, you find out that almost every person is a smuggler. In the course of doing our work, when our officers pursue a smuggler to a town or a place, you will see that nobody supports the Customs officer; the community will rise against the Customs officer and treat them as enemies. They will say they have been in the business (smuggling) long ago, even their forefathers were into it. So, why are you now coming to tell them that there is a government policy, that this should not be done? Despite the efforts of community relation committee formed by the border Commands, comprising the traditional rulers, traders and the agents; it has not stopped them from engaging in smuggling. But notwithstanding, we are stepping up on our own through continuous public enlightenment campaign to educate the masses on the effects of smuggling on our economy and the danger of smuggling; organized meetings with the traditional rulers of the communities to help sensitize their people also. This has also helped to reduce the interdiction between customs officers, smugglers and host communities. The effects of smuggling as I say, it results in underdevelopment, it brings diseases, we lose foreign exchange, we become dependent and we are not self-sufficient in whatever we want, it also kill our industries. So, to that extent, smuggling must be fought to a standstill. That is what we do, and we will continue to do. The kind of strategy I applied here is monitoring the smugglers to a point where there will be fewer casualties, then arrest them and make seizures. With this, we have been able to reduce the clashes to barest minimum.
What are the challenges you face in the course of carrying out your duty?
Well, our challenges have been very obvious. You know Nigerians will always want to contravene the law. We don’t really have a border town in this area so to say. Saki has been an old border station; which people have taken to be a border town. But we don’t have a border town like Seme-Cotonou border. Here, we generate revenue mostly through Excise and not from Imports and Exports. So it is sometimes very challenging combating smuggling with the available resources we have here. But we are doing our best.
The Service under CGC Ali Hameed has recorded tremendous success notwithstanding the slow growth in economic activities. What is the secret behind this remarkable achievement?
When you look at the structure of the Service currently, you would realise that CGC Ali Hameed Ali is reforming Nigeria Customs to world class standard. This has shown in all aspects of our activities, on revenue generation, trade facilitation in line with global best practice and anti-smuggling. Ali is strong filler for the Service. His integrity, transparency and accountability are clearly demonstrated in his leadership approach. His ‘three Rs’, representing reform, restructuring and revenue generation are seen in all areas of Customs operations across the country. Another thing, which stands Ali out is the fact that he believes so much in merit. To him, things must be done the right way, and with proper approach. He has inculcated the culture of discipline in the Service. Under Ali, prohibited items smuggled into the country by highly placed individuals are seized, in order to ensure sanity in the economic ambience.
What is your message to your officers?
My message to them is to always fight to promote legitimate trade and remain proactive. They should never compromise but rather always follow the foot step of the Comptroller-General of Customs who without mincing words is a no nonsense, hardworking and committed man.
By : Grassroots Publishers