KEEP OUR MANDATES ALIVE; AS ACG BABANDEDE CHARGES NEWLY PROMOTED OFFICERS TO WORK HARDER TO IMPROVE REVENUE, FACILITATE LEGITIMATE TRADE
By Timothy Paul Okorocha
The atmosphere was electric at the Customs Training college Ikeja today with scores of elated senior customs officers who scaled the promotion interview early this year were decorated with their new ranks, as the zonal Co-ordinator, ACG Babandede charged that their new ranks come with a lot of challenges, to be loyal to customs management, improve revenue generation and ensure maximum legitimate trade facilitation.
Almost five hundred persons, among them 18 new Comptrollers of customs were decorated at the jumbo tent erected at the main bowl of the Training college where hired and unhired paparazzi struggled hard clicking away.
Showing their dexterity in the art of event anchoring were Chief Superintendent Hussein in charge of Public Relations at the flagship Federal Operations Unit, zone ‘A’ and his colleague at the Lagos free Trade zone command, Chief Supt Abdullahi-Lagos who served meritoriously as Masters of Ceremony (MC). Hussein who now goes with the nickname ‘MC DAGA’ did not disappoint, neither Abdullahi-Lagos.
ACG Babandede was assisted by Comptrollers Oshoba of premier command , Apapa, Frank Onyeka of Tin can Island command, Muhammed Shuaibu of the FOU’A’, Joe Anani of the PTML, Gambo of Oyo/Osun command Otunla of Idiroko command and Joy Edelduok of KLT command. It was indeed energy sapping.
ACG Babandede was unequivocal in his short opening remarks that promotion remains a justification of job Weldone, and a challenge of a higher responsibility ahead.
‘We shall not be found wanting, and we must justify the confidence reposed in us inorder to take the service a notch higher in our bid to achieve the mandates of the service. He congratulated the beneficiaries of the promotion, including their families for being steadfast.
The spouses of the beneficiaries were also eulogized by the Masters of ceremony as according to them, it is neither easy to have a wife to a customs Comptroller nor a husband to a female Comptroller as they all come with sacrifice, support, encouragement and determination from both parties.
Some of the new generation officers include, Compt EB Bashir, Deputy Compt Nkiruka Nwala, Deputy Compt Chukwu, Deputy Compt Oguntuase in charge of Enforcement at the FOU’A’, Deputy Compt Shehu who is Officer in charge of Warehouse at the FOU’A’, Deputy
Compt TM Worusen in charge of Administration at the FOU’A’, Deputy Compt Manga, Deputy Compt Adamu in charge of Customs Intelligence Unit, Apapa command, Deputy Compt Afeni of Compliance Unit and Deputy Compt Mundi.
Other Area Controllers who graced the occasion are Compt Olusola AKINGBADE of the Abeokuta command, Compt Anani of the PTML,Compt Okorie, Compt ( Dr) Roland in charge of medical clinic in the FOU’A’, and Compt Wale Adenuga of the Seme/Badagry command .
Of course gentlemen of the fourth estate of the realm were in their numbers to celebrate with the lucky officers and their lovely families.