Customs Officers To Declare Assets Within 14 Days

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, says its men are now required to declare their assets as part of measures to promote transparency.

A statement signed on Friday by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Wale Adeniyi, on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali, disclosed that all “Officers are to comply with the directive within 14 days.”

According to the circular addressed to all Deputy Comptrollers-General, Zonal Coordinators and Customs Area Controllers, the Assets Declaration is in compliance with “The Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act Cap B1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Though the Act provides for Asset Declaration by all Bank employees, it also empowers the President to extend its application to other categories of persons.”

The statement explained that Section 12 (1) of the Act clearly stated that “The provision of this Act shall apply to the Comptroller-General, Deputy Comptroller-General, Assistant Comptroller-General, Chief Collector, Principal Collector and other Officer, Staff or employee of the Nigeria Customs Service as the apply to a Chief Executive or an employee of a Bank.”

The statement stressed that “the Comptroller-General observed that many Officers have not complied with the provisions of the Act over the years, stating that the 14-day ultimatum for compliance will be strictly enforced.”