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Customs officers dispute implementation of 100% pay rise

By BusinessNews Staff on October 28, 2013

There are signs of dissatisfaction among some senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over alleged delay in the implementation across board of a 100 percent pay rise, which was authorised by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2009.
Comptroller-General of Customs Alhaji Dikko Inde-Abdullahi had made a strong case for a 100 percent top-up in staff salaries in order to boost their morale towards improving revenue collections.

The proposal was approved by President Jonathan in 2009 while its implementation was said to have commenced from January 1, 2010.

Abdullahi recently told a Senate Committee, which was on oversight function of the service that, “This kind of improvement cannot go without motivation. And I want to especially inform you that after taking over, we thought about salary increase since our service is highly on revenue collection, and we assured the government that if we improve the welfare of the officers, surely revenue collection will double. So I want to inform the distinguished Senators that 100 percent increase was approved from January 1, 2010. Our men have been receiving 100 percent increments in salary.”

But a senior Customs officer who spoke under the condition of anonymity told THISDAY that there had been serious concerns by particularly those within the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Customs (ASCI) over the alleged implementation, as the current salary structure does not reflect any increment.

The source said the issue, which was being subtly protested in the service, had dampened the morale of affected officers given that they generated huge revenue for the federation. According to the source: “In 2009 Level 8 senior officers recruited with the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Customs II (ASCII) were paid N70,000.00 and in 2010 there was a 100% increment of salary, which all other levels got except Level 8 ASCII that was recruited in 2009. The amount added to their salary was N18, 000.00 instead of N70, 000.00 i.e. (100%) so their salary became N88, 000.00 per month instead of N140, 000.00”.

It added: “At that time there was a lot of controversies among the Level 8 officers (ASCII) over why they are not benefiting from the 100% increment and since then each year N3, 000.00 is added to their salary. Now the difference between Level 8 (ASCII) i.e. one star officers and Level 9 (ASCI) two-star officers is almost N70,000.00 while the Level 9 got their 100% increment including all other levels except Level 8”.

Continuing, the source added: “As a result of the complaints by the Level 8 officers the issues got to the hearing of the CGC and the CGC promised to rectify the issues but till now nothing had been done.”

The source also said there had been concern among some officers over the service’s pay package, although it is the third highest agency in terms of revenue collection by the federal government.

“Yes we collect the lowest salaries and welfare packages and no leave allowance for any officer that goes on leave,” the source added.

However, when contacted over the alleged controversy, Customs Spokesman Wale Adeniyi refuted the alleged non-implementation of the pay rise, insisting that the actual implementation had taken effect since 2010.

[This Day]

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