By Steve Agbota
As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is setting up his administration’s workforce to champion his “Renewed Hope” by making strategic appointments, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has congratulated the newly appointed Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Deputy Comptroller General Adeniyi Bashir Adewale and Hadiza Bala Usman who was also appointed as Special Adviser on Policy Coordination to the President, the new Service Chiefs and other appiontees.
The foremost Freight Forwarding association in a message from its Acting National President, Dr Farinto Collins Kayode said both appointments are round pegs in round holes, which will make impact in the Nigerian maritime sub-sector and urged the president to look for more qualified and professional capable hands to administer strategic positions in the country.
“We in ANLCA are particularly glad that our yearnings for career Customs Officer to be appointed the CG of Customs has been achieved. Remember, ANLCA was at the 9th National Assembly during the amendment of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) where one of our prayers was that the law should made it mandatory for a career Customs officer to be appointed as the Comptroller General of Customs and it was adopted and signed into law. We are grateful is happening in our eyes and we thank President Tinubu for this feat,” he added.
The ANLCA Acting president also hail the appointment of Hadiza Bala Usman, the immediate past Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination.
Farinto described her as patriotic Nigerian who did her best during her tenure as the MD of the NPA despite the political power tussle between her and her Minister of Transportation.
“Hadiza Bala Usman is a patriotic Nigerian who is always bent on doing the right thing no matter the pressure. All of us witnessed her tenure at the NPA and the strategic changes and decisions she took to better the ports industry. We hope she will assist the president to coordinate policies that will help his administration achieved his desired results for Nigerians.
“We in ANLCA are in full support of their appointments and promised to work with them to give a new hope to Nigerians in this dispensation.
We also congratulates the Service Chiefs and other appointees by Mr President and promised to work with any of them when the need arises to better the lots of Nigerians as championed by Mr President. We hope to see more strategic appointments of personalities and professionals into key positions that will drive the economy of this country,” the statement said.