Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have kicked against plans to halt implementation of the recently-approved Competency Based Accelerated Career Progression Plan (CBACPP) by the organisation.

The concerned officers are disturbed that despite the CBACPP being approved by the Federal Government, some persons were working against its implementation under the guise that it will impact a section of the country negatively.

The government, through the NCS board, had recently approved the implementation of the CBACPP for officers of the service, explaining that the plan was a ‘proactive strategy’ designed to ensure the customs is well staffed in the future.

Specifically, the NCS stated that it was meant to close the generational gap that could lead to a leadership vacuum in the higher hierarchies of the service if not addressed.

However, it was gathered that those who are opposed to the programme were doing so because they are afraid that when the new system becomes operational, a number of them who do not have the requisite educational qualifications would be side-lined.

It was gathered that the problem the NCS sought to solve arose, because prior to the 2009 recruitment, there was a long period when no one was recruited into the customs service.

This implies that by 2028, all the officers who joined the service prior to the 2009 recruitment would have retired on account of length of service.

The consequence of this, which the government tried to avoid, is that there would be some leadership gaps, as none of the officers recruited in 2009 would have risen to the rank of a comptroller.

Realising the imminent problem, the immediate past leadership of the service designed a career accelerated programme to allow officers with certain educational and professional qualifications to step up and earn expedited career progression, a source said.

Although the last leadership of the service was slow to execute it after the approval, it was understood that the career accelerated programme was approved by the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

However, there were suggestions that some senior officers from a certain part of the country would be short-changed by the approved career accelerated programme.

“This is considering that many of the officers from that region don’t have the requisite additional educational and professional qualifications,” a source stated.

According to proponents of the new policy, sweeping the programme under the carpet or not implementing it would pose danger to the continuous existence of the service. (The Guardian: Text, Excluding Headline)