|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The attention of the Guild of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Equity, Justice, and Transparency in Nigeria (GOCMEJ), has been drawn to a fake news item and skewed narrative published in a so-called US Trade Representative (USTR) report, on the online platform, Nairametrics, a few days ago. This report was spearheaded by a few self-serving individuals hell-bent on tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Ordinarily, GOCMEJ, would not dignify such hatchet jobbers and mischief-makers with a response. However, as champions of accountability, transparency, and good governance, in public service, we have thoroughly investigated the allegations and hereby state categorically that the claims in the report are hogwash, mischievous, malicious, and deliberate falsehoods, designed to malign the NCS’s new management due to their outstanding performance, milestones, and achievements.
GOCMEJ asserts that this malicious casting of aspersions, on the NCS management is a campaign of calumny, taken too far—a witch-hunt born from the figment of the authors’ imagination. These individuals, who clearly have an axe to grind with the NCS, are hiding under the guise of a USTR report, to peddle lies. The publishers of this report are vindictive, callous, wicked, and repugnant to natural justice.
In a terse press statement, the President of GOCMEJ, Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele, lambasted the fifth columnists, agent provocateurs, and mischief-makers, for circulating fake news, falsehoods, and fallacies, about the high-performing NCS management in a bid to drag its reputation into disrepute. He urged Nigerians to disregard, discountenanced, and condemn,these baseless allegations in their entirety, as they are orchestrated to undermine the transformational strides and anti-corruption stance, of the NCS under Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
The statement further highlighted that the current NCS leadership has rebranded and repositioned, the Service in line with international best practices,fostering accountability, transparency, and good governance, as enshrined in CG Adeniyi’s blueprint. The so-called “persistent trade barriers” mentioned in the report are nothing but fabrications from the pit of hell.
Key Achievements of the NCS Under CG Adeniyi:
- Modernization of operations and infrastructure, leading to unprecedented revenue generation.
- Robust collaboration with sister agencies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), ensuring seamless operations.
- Streamlined processes, for repatriation and other services, eliminating delays.
- Zero restrictions, on goods, dairy products, or steel imports, contrary to the false report.
- Enhanced trade facilitation, transforming Nigeria into Africa’s most efficient trading nation.
- Decongestion of ports within a 4km radius, enforcing the 48-hour goods clearance directive. (Executive Order 001).
- Implementation of the National Single Window Trading Project to streamline import/export processes.
- Crackdown on indiscipline and corruption, with staff now rewarded for efficiency, due diligence, and adherence to the rule of law.
GOCMEJ affirms that the allegations against the NCS are clandestine, pedestrian, malicious, and should be dismissed by all well-meaning Nigerians. The report is biased, laced with innuendos, and designed solely to tarnish the NCS’s image.
Since the new management took office, there has been:
Increased capacity building and discipline, among personnel. High esprit-de- corps within the ranks. Elimination of delays, denials, and inefficiencies in documentation and processes.
After a thorough, evidence-based investigation, including engagements with civil society groups nationwide, GOCMEJ declares the report false, unfounded, and deserving of total condemnation.We commend the NCS for:
- Revamping infrastructure.
- Boosting stakeholder confidence.
- Enhancing revenue generation.
- Curbing smuggling.
- Exceeding performance benchmarks.
GOCMEJ hereby: Passes a Vote of Confidence on the NCS management for its unparalleled reforms. Urges the leadership to remain focused and undeterred by detractors and
calls on the international community to support the NCS’s progressive strides.
We advise the public to ignore these malicious publications, which are null, void, and of no consequence.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.