Nigerian Customs: Uniform disrespect
The whole saga over the decision by the Comptroller-General (CG) of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) not to wear a uniform is stamped by disrespect on all sides. Disrespect to the Senate, to the CG, to the Customs uniform and most importantly to the long-suffering citizens who continuously see time and money being wasted on political […]
The whole saga over the decision by the Comptroller-General (CG) of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) not to wear a uniform is stamped by disrespect on all sides. Disrespect to the Senate, to the CG, to the Customs uniform and most importantly to the long-suffering citizens who continuously see time and money being wasted on political trivialities. Even though those who insist the CG must wear uniform quote Section 2 of the Customs Act, and believe that wearing a uniform is part of the service regulations, the fact of the matter is that there is no specific legislation either for or against it.
The Senate’s insistence is just another example of their penchant for focusing on irrelevancies while the nations slips further into anarchy and economic recession. Although the Constitution gives them immense powers, they have been unable to rise to their status. Time and again they have shown themselves to be incapable of concentrating on their main job of enacting legislation that will uplift citizens’ lives. Their conceited, greedy and unpatriotic behaviour over the years has eroded their reputation to an all-time low. Seeming to care little about this, they continue to wield their powers quite illogically and unnecessarily. There is nothing more dangerous to democracy than this mixture of power, arrogance and incompetence.
In spite of this, disrespecting Senators and wasting time and money isn’t the correct manner in which to proceed. Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and even Presidential Aides have developed a reputation for snubbing their noses at the National Assembly (NASS). It’s a sad state of affairs when political appointees consider themselves to be more important than elected officials. As it stands the Senate has oversight functions and each visit made to the hallowed chambers by the CG costs the nation time and money which could be far better spent. The CG isn’t the first appointee to defy the upper chamber, but he has unwisely allowed the matter to get out of hand. It’s arrogant bunkum to believe that all other uniforms are inferior to army uniforms.
A retired Army General was appointed to run the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and had no problem wearing the uniform. In a nation that is replete with retired Generals, Admirals, and Air Marshals, a retired Colonel cannot be said to have reached the pinnacle of any career. It’s only logical that anyone accepting a job should wear the uniform associated with it. The whole controversy is symptomatic of our failure to get even the most basic things correct in this country. All the time and money wasting could so easily have been avoided if, in the first place, a more qualified and experienced person had been appointed from inside the service to head the organization.
The mess is demeaning to the Customs. It’s difficult to accept that there was nobody competent or experienced enough within their hierarchy to take over the reins. It’s inconceivable that a non-policeman would be appointed Inspector-General of Police (IGP), or that someone who isn’t a soldier would be appointed Chief of Army Staff (COAS), so why should Customs be different? Is there no professionalism or experience required in the organization? Is there no benefit to having spent a career in the service when anybody can be appointed to head it? The whole controversy detracts from the far more serious issue concerning Customs of whether or not the “suspended” directive to harass motorists on the road for evidence of import duty payments will be re-introduced. It’s a poorly-timed, ill-considered, ill-advised, impracticable affront to citizens which massively disrespects the right of Nigerians to freedom of movement within the nation’s borders. Customs duties are supposed to be paid by the importer of the vehicle not the purchaser. Rather than prosecute those who commit the crime by selling such vehicles openly, the Nigerian Customs Service preferred modus operandi is to take the much easier option of persecuting the innocent motorist by blocking the road and detaining vehicles in the middle of nowhere.
It is immoral for a government to engage in this sort of behaviour in order to increase revenue from import duty when they give away billions of Naira annually in import duty waivers to their friends in the so called “organized private sector”, who continue to bleed the nation dry. Respect they say is reciprocal. There is increasingly less reason to respect those holding office when they continue to have so little regard for citizens. The actors in this unnecessary drama appear to be so consumed by their personal egos that they can’t see that they are further worsening the situation of the nation by squandering our scarce resources. None of them appears to have sympathy for the long-suffering citizens or is prepared to sacrifice for the nation in the way that government continuously expects from the general population. All parties need to be reminded that people who never change their opinions are those who love themselves more than the truth. Indeed, the greatest disrespect in all this brouhaha is that being shown the Nigerian people.