By Stephen Ubanna
Not many were surprised that Deputy Comptroller General, DCG,Wale Adeniyi, a member of the old Management Team led by Hameed Ali , a retired Army Colonel, between September and June , 2023, with iron hand could be appointed as the Acting Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Maritime analyst s see Adeniyi’s appointment as the Customs CG as one of the best appointments that has been made by the Lagos state born Nigerian President in the recent time. The argument in both official and unofficial circles was that anything short of picking the then DCG Adeniyi, as the new Customs helmsman out of the six DCGs and 15 ACGs, that make up the Ali led Management would draw the hand of the clock back for the service.
They believe that Adeniyi has been well prepared for the job and the tasks ahead as the Customs National Public Relations Officer, which was said to have made it possible for him to work closely with former Comptroller Generals who were said to have carried him along in all their International trips meetings and World Customs Organisation, WCO, meetings in Brussels, Capital of Belgium, as well as confided in him official matters that he knows so much about the Customs secrets.
Notable among the past Comptroller Generals who were said to have worked closely with the incumbent Acting Customs CG, as National PRO, include Buba Gyang, the Gwon Gwon Jos, a first class Chief in Plateau state, Late Abdullahi Dikko and Ali, the immediate past Comptroller General.
Until his appointment as the CG of Customs on Monday, June 19, 2023, by the Nigerian President he was said to have accompanied Ali, the former Customs helmsman as part of the Nigerian delegations attending the policy Commission and Council meetings of the WCO, at Brussels.
He may not have worked closely with Aliyu Mustapha, a- one time Comptroller General but he may have the opportunity of watching his style of Administration from the side working under Usman Kankara Bello, Kawan Katsina, who was said to have retired as a Customs Comptroller and who had had a great influence on him as the then Public Relations Officer of Tincan Island who was said Command.
His close working relationships with the three former Customs Comptroller Generals, both dead and alife, may have informed why the acting Customs CG, may have taken the advantage of being at the WCO meetings in Brussels and without waiting to be decorated by Vice President Kashim Shettima, with his new rank, to engage in strategic discussions with Ian Saunders, the North American country of the United States , US, born, newly elected Secretary General of the WCO.
This is because of the important role of the office in setting the direction for Customs practices worldwide, Japan Customs Administration Representatives at the WCO meetings and Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, to seek their support for ‘’the establishment of a Customs Laboratory in Nigeria’’. The Asian country of Japan Customs Administration Leadership, particular, may have assured Adeniyi of their support
He was said to have also used the opportunity of being a the WCO meeting toinitiate talks with other International Organisations, on the need for Collaboration in the pursuits of cutting –edge technologies that would aid the NCS, operations with a view to enhancing efficiency in the service. He was said to have also extended the strategic engagements to other relevant experts and donor agencies focusing on such areas such as ‘’ conducting a Time Release Study, TRS, implementing the Authorised Economic Operator, AEO, program, Leadership and Management development’’.
Informed sources told The Value News that his discussions with the International Customs Community may have prepared his mind for the exploration of all-driven solutions to the service perceived challenges , including General Artificial Intelligence, GAI, solutions like ChatGPT and advanced geo-sepatial intelligence approaches like GEINT.
Many believe that these technologies when fully implemented by the Adeniyi’s Administration will go a long way in enhancing communication, decision-making processes and the service enforcement operations in the future.
There are indications that the new Customs boss have already concluded arrangement to start the implementation of GEOINT technology that would enhance the efficiency and enforcements across the country and contribute to the overall service efficiency as well.
Indeed, the discussions he may have had with the WCO Secretary General , JICA and the Japan Customs Administration, Leadership, over the establishment of a Customs Laboratory in Nigerian, may have informed why he has seen it as a ‘’milestone in enhancing Customs operations and trade facilitation under his Leadership.
Given an insider information of the Customs Laboratory if fully stablished in Nigeria, with the support of the WCO, JICA and Japan Customs Administrations, he had said that ‘’it will provide the much needed comprehensive solutions to address NCS challenges ranging from counterfeit goods , smuggling to non-compliant importers, that would help in boosting the service monthly revenue generations and ensuring protection of people’s health and safety.
Adeniyi, noted that with the advanced analytical capabilities of the Customs Laboratory, if fully established in Nigeria with the support of the WCO, JICA and Japan Customs Administration, it will deliver ‘’precise identification, verification and classification of goods as well as enabling efficient enforcement measures and informed decision-making in the service .
The Customs acting Comptroller General who could not hide his feelings had said that it will also foster ‘’an environment of trust and credibility within Nigeria’s ecosystem that would mark a transformative step towards achieving the country’s seamless Customs operations , trade Competitiveness, and national economic growth in line with the vision of the Tinubu’s Administration.
There is no gain saying the fact that the acting Customs Comptroller General discussions with the various Customs Administrations, experts donor agencies and the WCO Secretary General , clearly underscores Adeniyi’s commitment to comprehensive improvements of the service operations and inclination to adopt ‘’innovative solutions across various Customs domains’’, that would ultimately enhance the Nigeria Customs operations.
Freight Forwarders who had a rough time dealing with the immediate past Customs Comptroller General because of his style of Administration and lack of understanding of the workings of the nation’s maritime industry are optimistic that the NCS under the Leadership of Adeniyi, marks on an exciting journey towards enhanced Customs efficiency and improved revenue generations in the years ahead.
They had alluded to the fact that through international collaborations with other world Customs Administrations , engagement with the CO, Exploration of all-driven solutions and strategic discussions with experts and Adeniyi’s Administration’s, pioneering innovative projects that will shape the future of the service practices, Nigeria would be on the path of having a brand new Customs Administration that would compete at the international scene with other Customs Administrations.
Recall that in decorating Adeniyi, with his new rank of Comptroller General, though in acting capacity, Vice President Shettima had described his appointment by the President as a ‘’morale booster in the service’’. The former Borno state governor who has thanked the President for ‘’ bringing Professionalism back to the Service’’, was said to have made it clear to the officers that now ‘’ they can aspire to occupy the pinnacle of their profession’’.
Given the confidence reposed on him by the Nigerian President , to appoint him, a serving officer, as the Customs Comptroller General to take over from Ali, a retired Army Colonel, Adeniyi was said to have assured him and Nigerians in general of a ‘’more effective and innovation –driven Customs service and which is approachable to work with.
He had admitted that under the Ali led eight years Leadership, the service has gone through a period of transitions, recorded progress and made a lot of breakthroughs in ‘’capacity building. He opined that the service can still live to its full potentials when the new Administration bring in ‘’more innovations to drive its operations’’ , stressing that these are the kind of things the new Management will be looking at in the years ahead.
He was said to have given his words : We are going to be professional in our approach, adding that there are a number of key stakeholders the service are going to be working with , including the importers with their agents . He had described it as a ‘’very onerous task’’ but insists that they are going to be working alongside the stakeholders and other partners that had already been identified.
He may have gladdened the heart of the maritime stakeholders when he said that the new management intend ‘’to come up with innovations that would carry along all partners and stakeholders’’. The new Customs n boss who was said to have had the support of Ali, the former Comptroller General, before bowing out has declared : We are going to leverage on technology and innovation to break new grounds in the Customs operations in the years ahead. Vintage Adeniyi.
