The Senate has, in a new law passed Wednesday, subjected the appointment of the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to its confirmation.
While making it mandatory for the President to appoint the Comptroller General from officers within the Customs Service, it also scrapped the governing board of the Service and replaced it with the NCS Commission.
The Commission, would be headed by a chairman, who would be a retired Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General, who would also be appointed by the President for a period of four years.
The appointment of the chairman of the commission is also subject to confirmation by the Senate, and the tenure is renewable once. The Senate Bill tagged: “ A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act, to establish the Nigeria Customs Service, reform the Administration and Management of Customs and Excise in Nigeria,’’ was passed following the adoption of the report of its Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff.
The bill consolidates into a single reference document, the NCS legal authority which is scattered in multiple enactment, and to bring the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) 1958, in line with modern day reality and international best practices.