Among all the paramilitary chief executives in Nigeria, Abdullahi Dikko Inde, the indefatigable Comptroller- General of the Nigeria Customs Service, unarguably stands out. This is because of his unprecedented agenda that has given the customs a new lease of life. His notable achievements have culminated in several laurels coming his way. Recently, he bagged “The Sun Newspapers Public Service Award” for his enviable achievements, vis-à-vis his sterling qualities, initiatives for generating the N100 billion revenue generation target for the Customs, a feat, which no previous comptroller–general had attained, as well as for making the welfare of customs personnel a top priority. He has also won different awards for establishing the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA).
In 1981, the United Nation Conference Trade and Development received a request from the secretariat of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) to assist in the compilation of trade statistics in the member states. After initial evaluation, it became quickly apparent that these required the involvement of the Customs clearance office and the modernization of Customs Clearance Procedurals. Today, the Automated System for Customs Data is functional in ninety (90) countries of the world and has major operational offices in America, East Africa, West Africa, Asia the Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. The United Nations Conference or Co-operation as it may be on trade and development and International Road Transport Union agreed to cooperate with the Customs Sector and on interpretation of the latest IRUS. This is where the Nigeria Customs Service comes in with the management under the visionary leadership of Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde who has wholesomely charted, graded and graduated the Automated System for Customs Data to an enviable status from 1.7 to 3.0 to ASYCUDA and now could be World Trade Manager. This is to make declaration of goods faster and go ahead to make payment in a form that will reduce and eradicate unethical practices and corruption.
The System of the service has been computerized and as such, fully ready to take over Destination Inspection.
According to the Nigeria Customs Service, Pre-Arrival Assessment Report was developed in 2012 as part of measures to respond adequately to the increasing volume of trade vis a vis, the limited human and financial resources. The ICT ruling centre has trained officers assuming the following roles: Administration of NCS-PAAR application security-officers; find document verification officers and risk profile officers. Besides, commercial banks are scheduled to work with their own system based rules.
The essence of PAAR is that it eliminates waiting for any document by the importers when cargo arrives, Customs will work round the clock.
There are four shifts of six hours each. A building designated and known as refreshment centre was commissioned by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde for the use of officers of PAAR and Trade Hub Centres. That is about Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) which is the engine room of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Apart from the latest Public Service Award from The Sun newspapers, the unassuming Customs boss has also bagged other notable awards both local and international on account of his superlative performance.
