On June 19, 2023 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR as the Acting Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the appointment was applauded by maritime practitioners and other critical stakeholders as a round peg eventually put in the round hole.
This is the first time in the history of our nation that the appointment of a Comptroller General of Customs would be widely accepted without criticisms even from sceptics.
Before the appointment of CGC Adewale Adeniyi, the Customs had faced challenges as a result of incessant complaints over its operational activities and various policies perceived as not good enough for the development and growth of trade.
However, his appointment changed the narrative. His worthwhile performance within a few months that he assumed office convinced Mr. President to confirm his appointment in October 2023. Since that time to date, the story of Nigeria Customs Service has been laced with impressive improvements and catalogue of successes.
There is no gainsaying that CGC Adewale Adeniyi, in the past twelve months, has justified his appointment and the confidence reposed in him by President Tinubu by deploying his intellectual prowess and many years of experience to give the Service a sound management restructured to meet the present day reality.
His administrative ingenuity and prowess have undoubtedly resuscitated the dwindling image of the Service, help in facilitating trade and thereby increasing revenue generation by the various commands. Also, morale of officers and men received boost through training, re-training and improvement of their welfare.
The CGC who believes in tapping from the wisdom of the elders established a cordial relationship with his predecessors in order to tap from their wealth of experience.
The pragmatic and proactive system of leadership adopted by the number one Customs man in the country today has made the businesses of import and export at both the seaports and airports across the country as well as excise to be attractive despite the fact that Nigeria is facing serious economic challenges. This has greatly reduced cases of diversion of Nigerian bound cargoes to neighbouring countries. The halt in cargo diversion has been made possible through the introduction and implementation of workable policies and consultation that encourage business growth and an enabling environment for trade to thrive.
It is instructive to note that many shippers and freight forwarders who have abandoned their consignments as a result of bad policies and unfriendly clearing process are now back to the ports to claim their goods and continue their business.
Additionally, smuggling, a major albatross to economic development of any nation is being tackled headlong across the country. Adeniyi’s administrative wizardry has brought many unrepentant daredevil smugglers to their knees. This is evident by the series of interceptions and seizures of goods including illicit drugs that are worth billions of naira recorded regularly at various Customs commands.
The recent inauguration of the petroleum products anti-smuggling squad by the CGC is another plus and a testament to the determination of the current administration to forestall the incessant smuggling of the products out of the country to the neighbouring countries and make the obnoxious trade very unattractive.
The administration of CGC Adewale Adeniyi has played a pivotal role in the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at revamping the nation’s economy by blocking revenue leakages, discourage the importation of banned items into the country, reducing smuggling and ensuring that all the border posts across the country are well policed by the eagle eye Customs officials.
It is true that when the righteous are in power, people enjoy, the idea of regular meetings with the stakeholders across the country initiated by the current CGC and his collaborative efforts with other sister security agencies have helped the service to attain greatness within a short time.
It is widely said that experience is the best teacher, the experiences garnered during his days as the National Public Relations Officer of the Service no doubt helped in resolving some of the encumbrances that formerly affected trade facilitation with other neighbouring countries in the past.
Some of the prominent freight forwarders who assessed the one year in office of the Customs top egghead described him as a man with midas touch whose era has engendered unprecedented growth to import and export trade across the country and development of local industries.
However, the story of the success recorded by the CGC will not be complete without mentioning the support of the media as the Service now has a robust relationship with the media unlike in the past. This is understandable as a public relations guru is in the saddle.