Customs Decry Lack of Equipment, Staff At Lagos Training College

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By DAPO OLAWUNI

Commandant of the Customs Training College in Ikeja Lagos, Comptroller Mustapha Sariki-Kebbi has called for adequate manpower and equipment at the Training College’s clinic, even as he implored the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali to upgrade the clinic to a regular hospital.

Kebbi stated this on Thursday during Passing Out Parade (POP) of 415 customs officers whom were drawn from 774 local government areas across 36 State of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

Kebbi said the Training College’s Clinic’s equipment needs to be upgraded, while the lack of adequate manpower should be looked into.

In his speech, he said “I would like to seize this opportunity to passionately appeal to the
management of the NCS to look into the possibility of increasing the man-power in the college’s clinic and also upgrading the clinic to a standard
hospital by providing X-ray machines, scanners, full laboratory equipment”

The Commandant however acknowledged that the Customs CGC has made sure that the college was fully renovated and some
new projects were initiated and implemented in recent time.

Some of the projects according to him are; the two 30 man hostels which can accommodate 400 cadets at a time, the renovation of the classrooms and provision of modern furniture, classroom equipment like boards, projectors, computers
air-conditioners and fans for all the classrooms.

“The College Canteen and Auditorium were also fully renovated with provision of dining tables, Air-
conditioners and executive chairs. Enough funds were also provided for feeding and day-to-day running of the College like provision of diesel to
the power the 500KVA generator in addition to the power supply from Ikeja electric distribution company”

Speaking on the Passing Out Parade, the commandant said “What we are witnessing now is the fruition of persistent and tireless
efforts made by the Comptroller General of Customs and his management
team to ensure that we breed the best out of millions of Nigerians who
applied for the job.

“The entire recruitment process was transparent and strictly based on merit to make sure that only the best candidates scale also providing
through.

“The CGC also ensured that Federal character was applied to the later by making sure that all the 774 local governments across the country were given 4 slots from level 3. level 4. level 6 and level 8

“The Federal Character Commission attested to the fact that this is the first time this method has been applied by any government agency in Nigeria. Merit and transparency were the guiding principles for the CGC”

Zonal Co-ordinator Zone A and Assistant Controller General of Customs, Mrs Modupe Aremu, stated that the cadets were carefully and thoroughly selected out of numerous applicants from different parts of the country through a rigorous and transparent process which is in compliance with the Federal Character Principle as enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution.

She warned the new officers that any act of indiscipline, disloyalty to the service, including disobedience to constituted authority and insubordination will be decisively dealt with and defaulters shown the way out of the service.

Consequently, she implored the new officers to avail themselves with the provisions of the Public Service Rule, the Customs and Excise Management Act CAP 45 LFN 2004 and the NCS Scheme of Service.

The ACG appreciated the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Col Hameed Ibrahim All (Rtd), stating that without his support, the training would not have been possible.

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