The Leadership Integrity Forum (LIF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to remove the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali (rtd), from office in accordance with the newly enacted Nigeria Customs Act of 2023.
According to a letter titled “Sit Tight Syndrome: An Anathema of African Culture, Nigeria Customs Service as Case Study,” issued by LIF’s Communications Manager, Clement Adesanya, it is argued that Hameed Ali’s continued tenure is in violation of the agency’s act and is therefore illegal.
Adesanya emphasized that the Nigeria Customs Service should operate based on the rule of law rather than by force, asserting that Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) should be advised to facilitate a smooth transition of administrative machinery in order to implement the new Act’s economic trade facilitation policies.
The group referenced specific sections of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, particularly Section 14(1)(a), which states that “The President shall appoint a career officer from the service, not below the rank of Assistant-Comptroller General (who shall be responsible for the overall management of the service) and be accountable for all revenue collections and all expenditures made under this Act.”
The Act also outlines various other responsibilities for the Comptroller-General, as stated in sections 14 (b) (c) (e) (f) (g) (h), which pertain to the appointment of the Chief Executive of the Customs Service as prescribed by the Act.
Adesanya expressed the expectation that, since the law has come into effect following the President’s assent, the former Comptroller-General, who is not a career officer within the Nigeria Customs Service, should have vacated his position to allow for the proper administrative implementation of the Act.
