By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, David Lawani, Abuja
The Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, has commended the appointment of a serving officer as the acting Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), saying it was a right step in the right direction.
Fadahunsi, who retired as the deputy comptroller general of the NCS, gave the commendation in an interview with newsmen in Abuja yesterday.
President Bola Tinubu on Monday appointed Bashir Adewale Adeniyi as the acting Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs. Adeniyi possesses over 30 years experience in Customs administration covering strategic and operational responsibilities.
He replaced a retired Army Colonel, Hameed Ibrahim Ali, who was responsible for the overall management and direction of the Service in the last eight years. Ali was equally the accounting officer of the service.
Fadahunsi, who was the vice – chairman, Committee on Customs and Excise in the 9th Senate, expressed the hope that the nation’s revenue would experience a boost with Adeniyi’s appointment.
He said: “It is customary with the military government to appoint a soldier to head the NCS. That was what we experienced throughout the eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, despite being a civilian President.
“I am grateful to President Bola Tinubu for heeding our genuine calls by appointing a core professional to head the NCS.”
Fadahunsi urged President Tinubu to mandate the nation’s legal team to review the concession of the NCS by the Buhari administration, lamenting that Tinubu’s predecessor had mortgaged the country by the concession arrangements, which according to him, had automatically transferred the nation’s revenue to private pockets.
He kicked against the planned merger of the nation’s major revenue-generating agencies, stressing that it was against international best practices.
He said: “It is not proper to merge the NCS with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) under one body. It will encourage massive corruption, ineptitude, and gross inefficiency.
“There are various measures to achieve revenue boost if experienced and capable hands are brought on board to head the agencies. The appointment of competent, incorruptible professionals as we have witnessed in the NCS would help the President to boost the nation’s revenue in the affected agencies.
“The proposed merger will lead to conflict of interest and in the process, the purpose for which the plan was meant to achieve, would be defeated.
“So, the agencies, particularly the NCS has to be left alone as an independent body, just as it is being practised all over the World.”
The Senator urged the leadership of the 10th National Assembly to complement the efforts of the Tinubu’s administration by also ensuring an effective oversight of the federal agencies. “Experienced lawmakers who are knowledgeable in revenue generation should be appointed into committees that would oversee the key revenue generating agencies,” he said.
He added: “This is a very critical period where all the arms of government should embrace competence instead of making appointments purely on political patronage.
“In the last eight years, for instance, the NCS had a retired soldier as the CGS while the Senate also had another retired soldier as the Chairman of the Committee which is carrying out oversight functions on the agency.
“I wonder how anybody would expect a miracle in that regard.”
Fadahunsi commended President Tinubu for appointing somebody from the South-East, stating that he had received several calls following the news.
Also, a former Director of the Department of Security Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has commended President Tinubu on the national spread in the appointment of new service chiefs, saying he was “delighted” at the South-East representation.
Nuhu Ribadu, who was appointed as the National Security Adviser (NSA), hails from Adamawa State (North-East), while the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa, comes from Sokoto State (North-West).
The new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja is from Osun State (South-West); the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, is an Enugu State native (South-East); and AVM Hassan Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), hails from Kano State (North-West).
Meanwhile, the acting Inspector-General of Police, DIG Kayode Egbetokun, is from Ogun State (South-West); and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye hails from Cross River State (South-South)
“The only zone left out of this now is the North Central. But don’t also forget that they have some strategic political appointments,” Ejiofor said in an interview yesterday on national television.
“I’m more delighted that the South-East is now represented, and this is a way of dousing tension.
The former DSS director commended the President for appointing somebody from the South-East, stating that he had received several calls following the news.
“It’s a way of building confidence, giving people assurance, and he would go further in that direction to look at the issues – maybe by the time we start setting agendas for the President. But for this appointment, he must be commended very well,” he added.
Also, former chairman of the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), and a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council 2023 Niyi Akinsiju said the appointments were in perfect order and conformed to President Tinubu’s pledge when he took the oath of office on May 29.
He noted that Nigeria has faced myriads of insecurity challenges hence the appointment of the class of officers. “I’m particular about the premium President Tinubu placed on the National Security Adviser in the person of Nuhu Ribadu, who was a police officer. He will further draw more attention to the natural mandate of internal security which rests squarely with the police.”
