Customs Trains Newly Promoted Comptrollers During 5-Day Leadership Retreat
Customs Trains Newly Promoted Comptrollers During 5-Day Leadership Retreat
By Asuquo Nuwak
•••As CGC Adeniyi urges newly promoted comptrollers to uphold the integrity of the service by protecting its interests and ensuring that their decisions align with Custom’s mandate.
The Nigeria Customs Service has organised a leadership retreat for its newly promoted comptrollers to equip them with the necessary skills for effective service delivery.
According to the report, the retreat is organised in collaboration with the Department of Human Resources Development and the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), held at the Ahmad Makarfi Hall, Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja, starting from 18th February 2025.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, who declared the retreat open, delivered a lecture titled “The Strategic Environment and Effective Service Delivery in the Nigeria Customs Service.
He told the newly promoted comptrollers that responsibilities come with the new rank, urging them to see themselves as key decision-makers responsible for driving policy implementation at various command levels.
The CGC also told the participants that as they have moved to this particular stage in service, they are now more or less, operating at the management level. He reminded them to see this elevation as the last promotable rank they can get, adding that during their interaction with other members of society, they must know their roles at that level.
He charged the newly promoted comptrollers to take a keen interest in the welfare of their subordinates, emphasising that leadership requires technical expertise and a deep sense of responsibility toward their officers.
He further told them to uphold the integrity of the Service by protecting its interests and ensuring that their decisions align with Customs’ mandate. He urged them to have interest in the welfare of their staff, as they have a duty to protect the interests and dignity of the Service.
In addition, he told them to prioritise continuous training and capacity-building programmes for officers and men under their command .
In his presentation, the Commander of TRADOC, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs (DCG) Sulaiman Chiroma, who said the significance of the retreat is to shape the leadership abilities of the newly promoted officers, also expressed gratitude to the CGC for facilitating the training, describing it as a strategic investment in the future of the Service.
Similarly, he said this retreat is designed to sharpen their leadership skills and enhance their ability to navigate the complexities of modern customs operations, disclosing that as comptrollers, they are pivotal in promoting trade facilitation, revenue generation, and economic growth.
Furthermore, DCG Chiroma said, this training will give them the tools to effectively meet those responsibilities.
In his presentation, the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, who delivered a lecture on Stakeholder Management, Media Relations, and Employee Engagement, also explained the importance of effective communication in fostering strong relationships with external and internal stakeholders.
He urged the comptrollers to cultivate a proactive approach in dealing with the media and the public, while ensuring that information about customs activities is communicated clearly and accurately.
He also emphasised the need for maintaining a positive working relationship with employees, as effective leadership depends on trust, motivation, and collaboration.
The resource persons who presented lectures aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the new promoted comptrollers in managing various customs formations during the retreat included Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in-charge of Human Resources Development, DCG Greg Itotoh, who delivered lecture titled : Team Building, ACG Isah Umar in-charge of Headquarters, spoke about Integrity and Transparency, Prof. Hamid Sulaiman, delivered a lecture on Public Policy Management and Leadership Challenges, Comptroller Naf’iu Isyaku, presented a lecture on Customs Import and Export Process and Procedure,
He said the fifth day of the retreat focused on leadership ethics, stakeholder engagement, and national security, where Comptroller Haniel Hadison, in charge of Special Duties at the Service’s Headquarters, delivered a lecture on “Regimentation in the Nigeria Customs Service.
He urged his colleagues to set a standard that junior officers would look up to, warning them against engaging in political activities.
In the same vein, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, delivered lecture on “Border Crisis and National Security: An Appraisal.
Comptroller Olomu examined the complexities of border security, trade facilitation, and the role of customs in strengthening Nigeria’s economic and security framework.
At the end of the retreat, and on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources Development, DCG Greg Itotoh, congratulated the newly promoted officers and encouraged them to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
He noted that the Service expects them to apply the knowledge gained from the retreat to improve customs operations and enhance trade facilitation.
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