The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command has held a two-day refresher training programme for its newly promoted senior officers, aimed at equipping them with enhanced skills and knowledge to excel in their leadership roles as terminal heads.
Declaring the programme open the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, highlighted the importance of training and re-training to the success of the command.
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“As a team, the participation of everyone is important to the overall success of this Command. To achieve excellence, you must broaden your knowledge, sharpen your skills, refresh your memory on what you already know, and remain open to innovation,” he stated.
Comptroller Oshoba emphasised that deliberate attempts by some traders to circumvent established Customs procedures make it necessary for officers to combine human intelligence with modern technology in improving risk assessment.
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He urged the participants to make the most of the training by learning, interacting, and networking, while also simulating real operational scenarios to prepare for future challenges. He further advised them to serve as role models to their subordinates, upholding justice, honesty, and diligence in their duties.
At the end of the programme, participants described the course as an avenue for professional growth.
In a related development, a delegation from the African Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) paid a courtesy visit to the Area Controller and his management team, reinforcing the importance of stakeholder collaboration.
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APFFLON Zonal Coordinator, Gambo Sulaimon, pledged the association’s support in combating illegal importation and sustaining revenue generation. “We always enlighten our members on the need to pay duty on time. We also want to ensure Comptroller Oshoba’s successful administration in meeting the Command’s revenue targets.”
The CAC welcomed the visit, while also emphasing the need for continuous training and sensitisation of freight forwarders to improve compliance and reduce infractions against Customs procedures.