The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is set to retire 577 of its high ranking officers.
This was revealed in a circular signed and released Sulaiman M.S.J, Comptroller Establishments, on behalf of the Comptroller General, Hameed Ali.
According to a circular titled ‘CIRCULAR NO/HRD/2017/003-LIST OF OFFICERS/MEN FOR STATUTORY RETIREMENT IN YEAR 2018’, those listed included a Deputy Comptroller General, an Assistant Comptroller General, 11 Comptrollers, 27 Deputy Comptrollers, 27 Assistant Comptrollers and 23 Chief Superintendents of Customs.
Last week, the service National Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, in a statement released the names of promoted and redeployed officers.
Amongst those promoted in acting capacity were Isa Talatu Mairo to Deputy Comptroller-General Tariff and Trade; Amajam Bukar, Controller, Federal Operations Unit Zone C, elevated to the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General, Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection; and David Elisha Chikan as ACG (Human Resources and Development).
“The CGC charged the affected officers to see their appointments and as opportunities to contribute their best towards consolidating the gains of the ongoing reforms in the Service,” Mr. Attah said.
Other rank and file officers listed on the retirement notice include five Chief Inspector of Customs Terminal (CIC T); 21 Chief Inspector of Customs (CIC); 21 Superintendent of Customs (SC); 36 Deputy Chief Inspector of Customs (DCIC); 23 Deputy Comptrollers (DCs); 121 Assistant Chief Inspector of Customs (ACIC); four ACIC1; 131 Deputy Inspector of Customs (DIC); and one Assistant Superintendent of Customs 11.
Others are 83 Senior Inspector of Customs (SIC); two Chief Customs Assistant (CCA ‘T’); 18 Inspector of Customs (IC); six CC; three Assistant Inspector of Customs; two Senior Customs Assistant (SCA); and one Customs Assistant (CA).
The affected officers are to be disengaged either on the basis of mandatory 60 years of age or 35 years in service, in line with the civil service rules.
According to the NCS, those affected are expected to furnish the headquarters with their notice of retirement on or before the end of March this year. The management also insisted that all those due for retirement must proceed on the mandatory three months pre-retirement leave, starting March 2018.
The retirement circular reads in part, “I am directed to forward the attached list on the above subject as a Pre-Retirement notice to all affected officers, adding “all affected officers due for retirement in 2018 are to disengage from active service and proceed on three-months pre-retirement leave, three months to the effective date of retirement.
“All affected officers are to ensure compliance and forward their three months pre-retirement notice to the Comptroller General of Customs accordingly.
“Any observed error, omission or legitimate complaints should be forwarded to the office of the Comptroller General of Customs on or before 31st March, 2018.”
