Pledges to Revamp Customs Primary School, Barnawa
ZAINAB JUNAID
As part of his commitment to suppress the menace of smuggling activities in the Country, the Acting Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has charged officers of FOU Zone B Command, Kaduna, to redouble their efforts in frustrating business for unpatriotic citizens who venture into smuggling activities within the edges of the Zone.
The CGC made this charge in Kaduna when he visited the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’ as part of his official working tours to the Customs Formations in the country.
He asked the officers to worsen business activities of smugglers through intensifying border patrol and confiscating unlawful items that will lead to the success of generating revenue for the Nigerian government.
CGC Adewale later commended the role of the officers and men of the Service at the Zone for maintaining their stand while discharging their duty. He assured them that the Service will not turn blind eyes on any officer who exhibits courage in the cause of his work.
“While I commend the officers who engineer good seizures in this Zone, I also wish to charge you all to be more steadfast in discharging your duties with the provisions of the law to suppress the smuggling of unlawful substances,” he says.
He added that the Service has renewed its strategy for assessing officers who performed excellently in service, emphasizing that “the era of making contact with officers who are ahead of you by rank to assist you pass your examinations has passed.”
The Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’, Comptroller Musa Ibrahim Jalo on his part, briefed the Ag. CGC on the success achieved so far especially in area of revenue generated.
He told the CGC that the milestones attained by the Unit were possible due to his new tactics of engaging community members and stakeholders in the Unit. "Intelligence information has led to the seizure of foreign rice, petroleum products, marijuana amongst other items," he said.
To him, "the Customs-Community relationship in the Unit is already paying good results, as we have recently recovered N2,500,636,150 in revenue, this is due to the commitment of the officers at the Unit".
However, on a seperate visit to Customs Primary School Barnawa, Kaduna, the CGC pledged to create a conducive atmosphere for both management and wards of the School.
He said the Service under his leadership is committed to promote education through Customs' Social Program. "We are currently observing problems encountered by the school and will surely place it on superficial level.
"We will do the best we can to raise the spirit of this school and to properly educate the wards of the residents. We have enough to chew to ensure that we renovate the school because we all love our children to have a better knowledge," he stressed.
On existing relationships with stakeholders in the community, the Ag. Comptroller General appreciated the harmonious alliance which will have greater impact mpact in theircompliance with Customs rules.
“It is because we have a good relationship that you agreed to come and sit down with us here — whereas if the alliance is not good, you will just stay at the back of your fence and begin to talk down on us that there is no point to meet those people who don't value us. I want to appreciate you for the service that you have rendered in Kaduna and to the entire structure of the Nigeria Customs Service. We respect and take you all with high esteem as our partners.
“I am therefore extending a new hand of collaboration with you to work together so that we will always address your challenges because we recognize you as contributors in transforming the country through strengthening its security," he said
