By Stephen Ubanna
Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General, Nigerian customs Service, NCS, may have been shocked at what he saw on ground when he came to Commission the renovated and remodeled office Complex, Quarter Guard and other infrastructural facilities at the Tin can Island Command including that of the Port Police which was said to have been refurbished by Compt. Dera Nnadi, Mni, the Command Area Controller within an interval of one year in office.
The Customs Comptroller General had recalled that when he was invited by the Tin can Island Area Controller to Commission the Command office complex which was said to have been renovated and remodeled by Compt Nnadi. The Customs Comptroller , had confirmed that initially he was hesitant to honour the invitation because he fears that it might e one of those wish- ashy projects.
Unknown to him, the Customs Controller, described by industry stakeholders as a master strategist had devised how to fund the project and complete it. Perhaps, when information filtered out that the new look Tin can Islan office complex was a master piece, may have encourage to have a rethink to commission the project.
Compt. Nnadi was said to have involved the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMLCA, Terminal Operators, NCMDA, Bonded WareHouses, and other industry stakeholders including the NigerianPorts Authorthority, NPA, under the close watch of Abubakar Dantsoho, who has promised to improve cargo throughput can.
The Tin can Area controller, described as a pace setter in industry circles may have alluded to the collation and support of the stakeholders to the completion of the renovated Tin can Island office complex, wen he urged them to always support the Command whenever called upon to do so. The goodwill messages from the Associations, SIFAX, Aflon Logistics which had been in Nigeria since 1961, speaks volume: Compt. Nnadi is a team player and carries everybody along in the discharge of his duties to achieve results.
The good news about the commissioning of the renovated Tincan Island office complex was the fact that 91 year-old Joseph Brique, the Delta state born, first Area Administrator, popular, AA, in 1978, before the title was re-baptised as Area Controller was around to witness the Commissioning ceremony. He was said to given kudos to Tin can Area Controller for a job -well done, urging officers to leave a ‘’legacy of performance whilestill in office’’ instead of lining up their pockets.
Compt. Nnadi, who was said to have invited the Octogenarian, who is now a Lawyer, clergy man and who still looks physically fit toadd colour to the event as he because the cynosure of the officers and the guests fit that the Customs Comptroller Comptroller who had poured encomiums on him in an emotional out burst sang a popular, Urhobo, Pentecostal music.
There are indications that while still in the service, former, Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the Olusegun Obasanjo’s Administration and some other retired senior Customs officers had learnt much of the technical aspect of the job from him. Note that he had voluntarily retired from the service. As a mark of respect for him, the Customs Comptroller General was said to have honoured him with the Customs plague that he will always use to remembr witnessing the Commissioning of the Tin can Island Command renovated and remodeled office complex on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2024.
The joy in Compt. Nnadi’s face knows no bound when he read his welcome speech on the historic occasion. ‘’it is with great pleasure that we gather to witness the commissioning of the newly office complex of the Tincan Island Command’’. An elated Nnadi said the renovation and remodeling of the 40 year -old office complex marks a significant milestone in the history of the Command’’.
The Customs Comptroller who could not hide his feelings was over joyed that Adeniyi, the Customs Comptroller General, in spite of his busy schedules at the Headquarters and other international engagements agreed to make out time to Commission the Command’s renovated office Complex which many had described as ”a bold initiative worthy of emulation” by other Area Controllers whose office complexes are still begging to be given a facelift.
Compt. Nnandi , may have shocked industry stakeholders when he stated that ‘’since of the Command some 40 years ago ‘’no major renovation has been undertaken to modernize the office complex’’. He was emphatic that for decades the officers of the Command have worked diligently within the confines outdated infrastructure’’ which was not too good for the service.
He noted that the transformation of the Command office complex by the present Administration under his Leadership will ‘’no longer be just a reflection of the past but a symbol of the future’’, an indications of ‘’a future that is modern ,efficient and committed to service excellence’’.
Given an insider information, the Customer Comptroller, who was said to have had sleepless night with most of the officers directly involved in the renovated office complex which was said to have been executed through direct labour had said that ‘’beyond mere aesthetics or upgrading of the physical infrastructure , iss a clear testament of the intent that reinforces the Comptroller’s policy focus on collaboration, consolidation and innovation ‘’.
He was said to have sounded it loud and clear, that the renovation of the Tin can Island office complex was a confirmation of the present management team of the Tin can Island Command ‘’to improving the working conditions of the officers , enhancing operational efficiency and providing conducive working environment for officers and industry stakeholders.
Comptroller Nnandi who could hold his head high that he had had delivered on the key promises of the his Administration, yet to be matched in the history of the Command had said that ‘’a well-maintained office complex ensures that the officers continue to provide exceptional service and achieve greater results in the core functions of the service of improved revenue generation, trade facilitation and enforcement.
By providing a conducive working environment for the officers and men of the Command, Compt. Nnadi had said that there is no basis the Command will not meet its revenue target and even surpass it. He is right.
The Customs Comptroller may have used the opportunity provided for the Commissioning of the renovated Tincan Island office complex by the Customs helmsman to announce that the Command collected and paid into the Federation Account the sum of N 1,125,744,318,049.60, between January and November 27, 2024, described as the highest since the history of the Command.
In achieving the exceptional feat, the Tin can Island Area Controller had attributed it ‘’to the dedication and hard work of the officers’’. Within the same period in 2023, the Command was said to have generated N639,665,622,978.55.
The Customs Comptroller may have gladdened the heart of the officers when he disclosed that that the Command revenue drive notonly reflects the intelligence of the officers by the collaborative efforts with other Security Agencies including the Department of State Service, DSS and other stakeholders, particular importers with their clearing agents.
Enough on the Command revenue generation. We turn to the Command enforcement drive, which security experts had described as revealing. . He had alluded to the Command interception and seizures of arms and ammunitions, unregulated pharmaceutical and psychotropic substances and other prohibited goods. These Contraband seizures, Compt. Nnadi, had said clearly shows their unwavering commitment , determination , and unyielding commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s borders.
The message is very clear to the fraudulent importers with their agents to study the 2024 budgetary provisions to know the items that are allowed to be imported into the country as no contraband could pass the Tincan port without been intercepted because of the tight security at the port and the vigilance of the officers.
