A group, the Social Integrity Network (SINET) has commended the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col Hameed Ali (rtd), for his strides in combating smuggling in the country, charging him to ensure that any officer found wanton be severely dealt with and jailed for committing what it termed felonious act.
The group equally lauded the Director-General of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Osita Aboloma, for his efforts in combating substandard goods in the country.
SINET National Coordinator, Mallam Ibrahim Isah, gave the commendation in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos on Monday, urging both Col Ali and Aboloma to intensify efforts towards ensuring total overhauling of the system through strict compliance to the operational techniques of their respective organisations.
“We are glad that the NCS and SON have woken up to the clarion calls by Nigerians to fight smuggling and importation of substandard products to a standstill in order to create more opportunities and rapid economic recovery for the nation.
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“The border closure has further confirmed the position of Nigeria as the giant of Africa and the effect is being felt positively by local manufacturers while the nation’s revenue generation has also improved tremendously.
“While smuggling and importation of substandard products have adverse effects on industrial productivity, jobs, bank loan obligations, it is also the major catalyst for the persisting insurgency and kidnapping among other social vices, paving ways for dangerous weapons in the country,” SINET said.
SINET helmsman further stressed that Customs should extend the combat against smuggling beyond border protection and move to in-house smuggling conspiracy and connivance among officers, adding that any officer found wanton should be severely dealt with and jailed for committing g felonious act.
Speaking further, the group commended the SON for apprehending a warehouse owned and operated by proxy and closing down the business for not complying with the required standard, saying there was a need to do more in order to reduce the dastardly act to the barest minimum in order not to take the nation back by 50 years.
“We commend SON for apprehending a warehouse owned and operated by Prossy and closing down the business for not complying with the required standard. There is a need to do more in order to reduce the dastardly act to the barest minimum in order not to take the nation back by 50 years.
“The unity, peace and harmony of Nigeria are beyond individualism and all hands must be on deck to achieve this with all sense of professionalism, nationalism and patriotism,” the group said.