N1.6bn Customs Recruitment Contract, Stakeholders call for Probe

Abiola Seun

Following financial irregularity allegations levied against the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) over the approval of N1.6bn to recruit 3,200 job seekers in the on-going employment exercise by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), stakeholders in the nation’s maritime sector have demanded the immediate investigation and public hearing into the allegation of N1.6billion for recruitment of 3200 personnel for the service.

Recall that the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Senator Ade Fadahunsi accused the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, of paying a whopping sum of N1.6 billion to a consultant for the recruitment of 3,200 personnel into the service.

Fadahunsi, who is a retired Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs and current Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, said, “The CG wants to recruit 3,200 persons and he paid N1.6 billion to a consultant to recruit 3,200 persons. The money is not for training but to just recruit them. I asked him if the Nigerian Army ever used consultants to recruit personnel and he said no. He said Customs officers are corrupt and he is bringing in a consultant to recruit 3,200 persons and he will pay the firm N1.6 billion.”

However, speaking on the Senator’s allegation against the Customs CG, the former president, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Olayiwola Shittu urged agencies of government with forensic capabilities to investigate the allegation.

According to Olayiwola Shittu, “This is an allegation coming from the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, who retired as a Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), so this kind of allegation should not be thrown under the carpet.

“When people that ought to know about issues speak out on fraudulent activities, then the authorities need to do the needful and investigate it properly.

“We cannot say because the Customs CG is always harping on the fight against corruption, so such allegation should not be investigated. We are talking about activities of Customs, which always involves huge sums of public funds.

“Government agencies with forensic capabilities like the EFCC, ICPC should wade in and investigate the matter.”

Also speaking on the matter, the National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents, (NCMDCLA), Lucky Amiwero called for a Public Hearing on the allegation.

In his words, “The man who made that allegation is number two in a Senate Committee that oversights the Customs, so there should be a public hearing on the matter as well as a thorough investigation by concerned agencies of government.

“Don’t let’s forget that Senator Fadahunsi served in the Customs for years and rose through the ranks to the position of a DCG, so he might have information that we might not have. Therefore, the issue should be subjected to thorough investigation.”

Also Speaking, the Vice President of ANLCA, Mr. Kayode Farinto, said such an allegation is too weighty to be discarded.

“Yes, I read the story and I am still surprised that no government agency is looking at the allegation, or even investigating it.

“The person that made that allegation is not an ordinary Nigerian, he is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who retired as a DCG from the NCS. Currently, he is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, so I don’t want to believe that he will just open his mouth to speak on such sensitive issues when there is nothing. The allegation should be investigated, and if found to be untrue, then the Senator should be made to face the consequences of his action.”