By Stephen Ubanna
The Customs PR Workshop in in Bayero University, in the ancient town of Kano, may have come and gone but the impact remains resounding. Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, an Assistant Comptroller and the Customs spokesperson could beat his chest that it was ‘’a huge success’’.
Until AC. Maiwada, the arrowhead of the Customs, 2025, PR, Workshop, took the bold initiative to take the event Bayero University, Kano, BUK, with the approval of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the Customs Comptroller General, CGC, not much is known about the workings of the Customs by the students, described a missing link in their studies by participants.
Taking the 2025, PR, Workshop to the University appeared to have provided an opportunity for the students to interact with the officers who were said to have exhibited the skills of professionals in ‘’projecting Customs operations to the public’’.
The students, who could not hide their feelings at the event may have come to the conclusion that the Customs operatives are not just revenue collectors for the Federal Government, FG, or running after smugglers at the Land border areas across the country in broad day light on the road which had severally to disrupted vehicular movements in the guise of checkmating the activities of smugglers carrying Contraband items into the country.
The societal wrong perception of the Service as a Corrupt Institutional which had had influenced the Youths over the years may have informed why the BUK, students and other participants at the Customs Preworkshop, were said to have paid rapt attention to the resource persons to have better grasp of the operations of the Service to shape their judgement.
The knowledge acquired at the five-day Workshop, may have given an insight to the students, particular, an insider information about the Customs, operations and wondered why such an important Institution which are interpreters of government Fiscal Policies, mediators in policy disputes between importers with their agents and the Customs personnel at the nations seaports, airport and Land border stations as well as crisis managers during operational challenges could not been given better treatment in the country tertiary institutions.
Timi Bomadi, an acting Deputy Comptroller General, DCG, overseeing the Customs Enforcement, Inspections and Investigation Department, EI&I, Department at the Customs Headquarters, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and who incidentally was a -one- time the Image maker of the Service, who had represented Adeniyi, the Comptroller General at the event may have kindled the students’ mindset in favour of Customs.
His speech may have penetrated deep into the mindset of the participating students that most of them are now thinking building their career in the NCS, after their studies to contribute ‘’to the development of the nation’s economy’’.
The Customs DCG, may have won the heart of the BUK students and the other participants at the Customs PR, event when he stated that ‘’the confluence of revenue operation’’ where every decision taken by the officers at the seaports, airport or border stations in the discharge of their Constitutional responsibilities create much impacts on Nigerians, the business Community and the international partners.
Given the DCG’s advice to the Customs Public Relations Officers, who were said to have gathered at the BUK, for the five-day Workshop to master ‘’the art of digital communication, artificial intelligence, AI, and crisis response management’’ may have encouraged the officers to practicalise the knowledge acquired at the Workshop at the BUK environment before taking it to the larger society.
It would be recalled that an elated Bomodi, had described the Customs – Bayero University Partnership in organizing the Workshop ‘’as a pilar of reform, and not an after- thought in the Service operations’’ which may believe has to do with the CGC’s policy thrust of ‘’ Consultation, Consolidation and Innovation Innovation and Collaboration’’.
The DCG, who may have spoken the mind of the Comptroller General and his advice to the officers to take advantage of ‘’the rapid changing pace of technology and the risk of misinformation’’ required to sharpen skills’’ may have emboldened the officers to put into practice everything learnt that was said to have left a legacy of being worthy Customs Ambassadors at BUK.
, This is because the Customs PR, Workshop, in Collaboration with BUK, has dominated the discussions of the students in the recent time as they are looking forward for another of such Workshop in the University in future.
The students may have gathered more information on Customs operations on the sidelines based on their interaction with the officers who were said to have recommitted themselves ‘’to professionalism, innovation and integrity’’, that had ‘’reshaped the narratives and sustained the credibility of the Service’’.
Perhaps, what may have kindled the students to change their perception of Customs operatives was the remarks of Abba Yusuf, the Kano, state governor, who was said to have been represented by Sanusi Sature, Director General, Media, as he gave kudos to the NCS, under the current Leadership of CGC Adeniyi, for the Service contributions ‘’to national security, trade facilitation and revenue generation’’, amidst applause.By taking the Customs PR, Workshop, to the University, many believes that he had shown his skills in ‘’advancing Professionalism in Customs PR practice’’.
There is no gain saying the fact that the Customs PR Workshop, in BUK, which had brought together PROs, Communication experts and seasoned resource persons, across the country which had focused on strengthening Communication strategies, improving institutional transparency and aligning PR, functions with the Service modernization drive, appears to have achieved its purpose.
It was said to have provided the platform for knowledge sharing between the Customs PROs, academics, and Media PR practitioners, while also offering the participants including the students’ practical insights into modern Communication dynamics.
Speaking in his capacity as the Customs spokesperson at the BUK event, AC. Maiwada, had given his words that achievements recorded in the five-day old event reflected the dedication of the participants, describing it as a product of ‘’teamwork’’ and the collaboration of the BUK, that guided the programme. The Customs National Public Relations Officer, who had alluded to the remarks of a BUK, Professor at the Customs event, had confirmed that as a result of the Workshop which had given an insight to Customs operations and its challenges, the NCS has changed from negative perception to positive perception ‘’, which may have gladdened his heart and other officers at the Workshop. He was quoted to have said that ‘’the Service still have a lot to do as they are not there yet’’.
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