Business

Customs introduces stiffer penalty for improper dressing among officers

Ahmed Ali CG, Customs & Olugbenga Peters

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Unwholesome attitude as improper dressing and unkempt beards among Officers have drawn the ire of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), it has threatened to sanction erring officers.

Not stopping at that, it has also made it clear that it will no longer tolerate such such indiscipline violations of use of name tags.

In a memo issued by the Deputy Comptroller General, Human Resources Development of the NCS, A.T. Babani, numbered HRD/2021/026 titled: “Introduction of Customs Police Caution Slip in the Service” dated 10th September.

Caution slip would be issued in triplicate for minor offences such as improper dressing, use of unapproved name tags, and failure to shave among others as therein the memo.

The service said it had introduced the use of Customs Police Caution Slip (CPCS) as a law enforcement tool in the service.

The statement went this “I am directed to bring to your notice that the Comptroller General of Customs has approved the usage of Customs Police Caution Slip (CPCS) as a law enforcement tool in the service.

“The slip which will be administered by the Customs Police Unit of various Zones/Area Commands would be in triplicate and once issued, a copy shall be forwarded and inserted into the officer’s establishment file.

“The issuance of the Customs Police Caution Slip (CPCS) will include offences such as improper dressing, multi-colour waist belt other than approved one and usage of unapproved name tag, failure to shave, and other sundry minor violations of the second regulation 13 of the Customs and Excise Management Act CAP LFN of 2004 as amended.

“The caution slips would serve as a proactive tool to ensure compliance to rules and regulations.

“First-time offenders, repeated offenders and consistent pattern of offence identified, shall be documented and used for strategic decisions making”, the memo stated.