Customs officers
By John Iwori
The management of Cotecna Destination Inspection Nigeria Limited (CDIL) has trained more officers and men of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on valuation, classification and scanner management.
The training of the personnel was aimed adding more graduates to its list of already trained officers and men of NCS in the various aspects of import document processing, scanning of goods as well as scanner machines handling.
The latest set of trainees, who graduated late last year, comprises a set of 11 NCS officers who underwent six months’ training by Cotecna and subsequently presented with certificates at a ceremony that took place in the Valuation and Classification Centre (VCC) Office, Abuja. The officers received their training at the VCC, Scanner sites in Abuja and Kano Airports as well as Jibiya Land Border.
The second group consists of 43 NCS officers in Lagos, who were trained and graduated under the same programme. The officers, who received their training at the Apapa and Tin Can Island Port Scanner sites and the operations department, had the opportunity to understudy Cotecna staff in different fields.
According to a statement issued by the firm, it has so far trained 1,582 NCS officers, and in addition, has jointly trained 1,357 officers of the service, with the other scanning service providers.
The completion ceremony of the fresh trainees took place at Apapa Scanner site, where Mr. Jude Mbadiwe represented the Directorate of Home Finance, Federal Ministry of Finance, while Controller B. Mamman represented the Deputy Controller General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Department.
The representative of the Director of Home Finance commended Cotecna for its commitment in providing the needed training to NCS officers and other stakeholders.
Mamman however called on the graduating participants to be prepared to transfer knowledge learnt to their fellow colleagues who were not opportuned to attend the training.
Responding, participants at the training expressed appreciation to NCS management for giving them such a great opportunity, and to Cotecna for providing them with conducive learning environment and introducing them to modern tools and technology that would enhance the entire Customs service operations.
“The work ethics in Cotecna is superb, and this has made officers to work very hard and become more refined and prepared to move forward the service and the nation as a whole”, he said.
Deputy Controller Leggo Jack, represented the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Customs Area 1, Command, Lagos.
The Managing Director of CDIL, Alhaji Adetayo Rabiu, had earlier in his opening remarks commended the high level of support and cooperation his organisation had so far received from the NCS, particularly in the aspect of training and capacity building.
Rabiu added that the CDIL was committed and would continue to do its best by providing the required training till the end of its contract with the Federal Government.
“To achieve greater results, Cotecna has provided permanent offices and structures at all its scanning operational sites in the seaports and land borders. Most of these we did beyond the contract terms”, he said.