TINCAN ISLAND COMMAND BAGS ULTIMATE AWARD FOR RENDERING EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO THE INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS COMMUNITY AT THIS YEARS INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS DAY
The World Customs Organization (WCO) has conferred a prestigious Award to
Tincan Island Port Command in this year’s International Customs Day (ICD) with
the theme “ TO SECURE BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT”. Making the presentation on behalf of
the WCO Secretary General KUNIO MIKURIYA,
the Comptroller General of Customs, COL HAMEED IBRAHIM ALI (Rtd), had
informed the audience that the International Customs Day celebrated by Customs
Administrations all over the world, provided an opportunity to X-ray, review
and evaluate the role of Customs in Nation building as a Revenue Generating
Agency, stating further that the theme for the year was apt considering the
state of insecurity and challenges in Nigeria and the world at large.
The CGC while reminiscing on the giant strides of the Service in 2017,
declared that the Service generated 1.3
trillion into the Nations Coffers – did remarkably well in anti-smuggling
operations through the spectacular seizures among others. He stated that the International event was
also an auspicious moment to recognize private and public organizations as well
as officers and units that have demonstrated outstanding performance during the
period under reference for awards by the WCO.
While receiving the award on behalf of the Command, the Comptroller BASHAR YUSUF recalled with nostalgia
the exploits of the command in the past two years. The obviously elated Comptroller BASHAR stated thus; “I assumed leadership of the command at a
time its rating was at lowest ebb in
terms of functionality in areas of Revenue and Seizures which forms the core mandate
of the Command. “I thank God Almighty for giving me the
wherewithal to justify the confidence
reposed in me by the CGC and his Management which is evidenced in this
International Award. I therefore
dedicate it to the Entire Tincan Team, comprising the officers/men, the CIU,
Valuation, PCA, the Customs Brokers, critical Stakeholders and the Media for
their tremendous support” it will be recalled that Comptroller BASHAR in the last two years generated over five hundred and forty
four billion, forty-nine million, six hundred and twenty- one thousand, five
hundred and fifteen naira (N544,049,621,515) in Revenue through various far reaching
reforms which he instituted. Part of the
reform agenda was the building of a ICT Training Centre as well as a fully
equipped clinic which was officially commissioned by the CGC on the 11th
of November 2017. The training facility
has been used to train over one thousand two hundred (1,200) people, including
officers and other stakeholders. On the
area of seizures, the command in the past two years recorded very unique
seizures which included but not limited to;
a)
Cocaine with a street value of over two (2) billion
naira concealed in a container.
b)
900 Cartridges/Military Hardware
c)
Recovery of suspected stolen two (2) Range Rover and repatriation
of same through Interpol to United State
of America
d)
Seizure of substandard/Regulated Tramadol Containers
e)
Large quantity of Biafran Arms band
f)
31 containers of rice falsely declared as yeast/bread
enhancer
g)
20 x 20 containers of Vegetable Oil falsely declared
as Disodium Phosphate
On assumption, the CAC drew
the attention of officers/men to the change ideology and mantra of the CGC which is anchored on tripod of - Restructure, Reform and Revenue Generation. These provided an operational template and
road map which guides the operation and which eventually guaranteed historical
results being celebrated at the instance of WCO. The name of the Command
which comptroller BASHAR epitomizes
would have been written in gold, especially
when he considers the trajectory of the command in the past viz-a-viz these
achievement.
All these landmark seizures gave the command the sobriquet of a
“Benchmark Command” which provided the needed impetus for the subsequent trail
blazing records. These records
culminated into commendation letters by the Comptroller General of Customs in the following areas.
1)
Commendation for exercising due diligence in the
interception of “Pro-Biafran” materials.
2)
Commendation for the interception of 1 x 40ft container
laden with sophisticated Military Hardware.
3)
Commendation for the interception of eight (8) bags of
twenty-five (25) parcels falsely declared as Virgin Cellulose, which eventually was confirmed by NDLEA to be
cocaine worth over two (2) billion naira in the market.
Answering question from the Media after the Award, he stated that part of his strategy was the
concept of “Team Spirit” which saw to his open door policy of inclusiveness, believing that team spirit is key to
development with it’s attendant checks and balances. I also have a profiling team comprising all
the egg heads, APM, the CIU, the Valuation Unit, PCA, Enforcement and indeed
the entire officers/men, whose invaluable contribution cannot be quantified.
“we are very passionate about collaboration and synergy with Critical Agencies
and we have imbibed the virtues of transparent-integrity and due diligence in
our day to day dealing in line with Global Best Practices.
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