The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali faces serious problems as the Senate has summoned him to appear before it to answer questions.
Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali
The Nigerian Senate has threatened to recommend the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali, for sack if he fails to obey its order on the suspension of the policy on the collection of duties on old vehicles. Hameed Ali was accused of high-handedness by the senators.
The latest decision by the Senate was taken after Sen. Dino Melaye representing Kogi West senatorial district moved a motion during plenary on Thursday, that the Customs boss must be called to order.
According to Daily Sun, Melaye said reports on the newspapers, of Thursday, that the Customs would continue with the policy as against the Senate’s order, was a coup on democracy and would not be accepted.
Melaye asked the Senate to re-summon Ali and make him appear live in plenary and not before senate committee on customs. He must also be in Customs uniform.
Also adding his voice to the motion, Senator Solomon Adeola from Lagos South West supported the move and said:
“It is high time we put to a stop the high-handedness of the comptroller-general of customs.
“He has been acting as if he is the commander in chief of Nigeria. Take for instance the issue of Nigeria Customs uniform.
“He is receiving salutes and making parades in mufti. Under him, custom is doing bad, they behave like gangsters.
“They are burgling shops, carting away bags of rice and stealing money from safe.
“He could be recommended for a sack if this continues.”
Senators Marafa and Attai Aidoko from Kogi East agreed.
Aidoko said: “Hameed Ali is incompetent. The Customs revenue has dropped greatly because of his gross incompetence. He now wants to beef up earnings through the back door with this policy. He cannot do that because it will cause chaos in the society.”
Deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary in the absence of Senate president Bukola Saraki, said the actions of the Customs is becoming worrying.
The Senate then resolved that Ali must show up before the upper house unfailingly on Wednesday, in Customs uniform or face being sacked.