By Uche Mbah
The Nigerian customs service may have concluded plans to increase the pay packets of their officers as a disincentive for corruption within the service, if feelers from within the top echelon of the force are to be believed. This is believed to be an aftermath of the closure of the Nigerian borders with its neighbors which, it is believed, may have put the lives of the officers in higher danger than before.
But the other agencies involved in the closure-the police and Immigration particularly- may not be too comfortable with the singling out of the customs service for increase in remunerations, even though it is the primary duty of customs.
The closed Nigerian borders has continued to generate controversies on the Merits and otherwise of the action, with Nigerians asking what would have been achieved by the temporary closure if the January 2020 deadline is maintained.
Since the closing of the borders, it has become common knowledge that the commodities are being smuggled across borders under very tight security. But there are also allegations in certain quarters that some corrupt customs officers now make brisk business of collaborating with smugglers “with a fee” to form a protective rampart around such smugglers “right up to their (Smugglers’) warehouses”. These acts have been going on, but the costs have escalated since the closure, as only goods escorted by the members of the service allegedly gets imported.
Besides, the border closure has automatically put pressures on Nigerian ports, which is notorious for expensive clearing bureaucracy-a situation that drove many people to Nigerian neighbors for importations. Clearing time has become elongated and “corrupt practices are on the rise at the Lagos ports”, according to sources.
It has also brought out the debate on the alternative of opening out more ports particularly in the South south.
The closure has adversely affected francophone countries, at the same time opening up markets for them. The closure has only been for land borders, and does not affect the sea and airports.
Meanwhile reports indicate that of importers that borrowed money from banks are counting their loses.
