COWA President Launches Sustainability And Green Border Initiative In Zone ‘C’, Raises Over N500m Fund
Customs Page
By Asuquo Nuwak
COWA President Launches Sustainability And Green Border Initiative In Zone ‘C’, Raises Over N500m Fund
••• Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’, ACG Mohammed Kamal commends the initiative
The National President of Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA), Mrs Kikelomo Adewale Adeniyi, has launched Sustainability And Green Border Initiative projects at Zone ‘C,’ Headquarters, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, recording over N500 million, while Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’, ACG Mohammed Kamal, commended the National president for the initiative.
The National president of COWA, Mrs. Kikelomo Adewale Adeniyi, the initiator of the project and the wife of Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, says Sustainability And Green Border Initiative would target the border towns of Nigeria, while focusing on restoration of the degraded ecosystem and empowerment of her members.
The event which commenced at Area 1 Command, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, with a tree planting exercise later moved to Js Signature Hotel, for a dinner and fund raising.
Commenting at the event, the COWA National President, stated that the essence of the project was to take the campaign of environmental awareness and sustainability to the border towns that have so far been neglected.
She pointed out that the issue of climate change has been at the front burner, prompting her team to think on how to make the environment a better place, while empowering their members not only in sewing, but also in research on how to cash in on the environmental sustainability to make wealth especially through waste.
Furthermore, she said their members would be exposed on waste management skills including separations and recycling among others, informing the audience that COWA has engaged in numerous successful environmental sustainability activities, especially tree planting exercise where about 862 trees have been planted since October 2025 when the initiative was launched.
Indeed, she disclosed COWA’s determination to plant about 15,000 trees in the nearest future to mitigate environmental pollution and ensure a clear and clean ecosystem.
The COWA National President, who frowned at the level of deforestation in delta region due to oil exploration and exploitation, also admonished that people can plant trees including vegetables in their backyard to stem the tide of environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Besides, she said COWA has taken this initiative to Seme, Idiroko, Illela borders, while expressing her intention to visit other places.
She however charged her members, communities, officers to nurture the trees so far planted, insisting that if you plant trees, you plant hope and anything COWA plants grows.
In his goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers state Ministry of Environment, Mr. Allwell Chinedu Okereuku, who represented the Rivers state Governor, His Excellency Sir, Siminilaye Fubara, expressed satisfaction with COWA’s initiative, saying he was so delighted to be part of the project especially as it is related to the environmental sustainability.
The Rivers state governor expressed his readiness to partner with COWA to achieve its laudable objectives even as he buttressed the importance of clean environment to Rivers state and Nigeria at large.
Shedding more light on the programme, the chairperson COWA, FOU, Zone ‘C’ Owerri, the wife of Comptroller B Balogun, Dr (Mrs) Bolanle Balogun, said the project is very broad and could not be confined to only tree planting.
Dr Bolanle Balogun is quoted as saying that: “You know that the world is battling with climate change, anything you can think of on the green side is what the project is all about. Whether re-cycling, tree planting, environmental pollution mitigation, waste disposal among others”.
Dr Bolanle Balogun, who said it was a pet project of their National president, Mrs. Kikelomo Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, also said it is their duty to key into it, adding that the project which started locally, now has gone international.
She recalled that recently the National President was in Brazil to address the world on COWA’s Sustainability And Green Border initiative.
The chair person, COWA, FOU, Zone ‘C’, Owerri, Dr Bolanle Balogun, who noted that Customs Officers’ Wives Association is aimed at bringing positive change to their members and the society at large,
also promised to ensure that the project is sustained at FOU, Zone ‘C’, Owerri and introduced to the grassroots, so as to impact positively on their members.
Commenting at the dinner, Zone ‘C’, Zonal Coordinator, ACG Mohammed Kamal, represented by the Customs Area controller, Area 11 Command, Onne, Comptroller Yusuf Alkali welcomed the guests.
Comptroller Alkali Aliyu, who represented ACG Mohammed Kamal, said it was with warmth and profound gratitude that he welcomed everyone to Zone ‘C’ on the occasion which he described as more than a formal dinner.
He emphasized that the Green Border and Sustainability Initiative was a laudable objective which stood as a testament that safeguards the land that shelters us and the future of our children.
He added that Mrs. Kikelomo Adewale Adeniyi, has long been a beacon of service, compassion and resilience through initiatives like this, noting that the Association has continued to champion the empowerment of women, equipping them with opportunities and skills among others that would influence positive change within their homes, communities and beyond.
He stated that COWA is a reflection of women working together for a greener, safer and more inclusive society.
He therefore enjoined all the stakeholders to be committed to the fund raising to enable COWA realize its objectives.
Dignitaries in attendance at the event, included all the Customs Area Controllers in Zone ‘C’, including Comptroller B Balogun, FOU, Zone ‘C’, Owerri, Customs Area Controller, Area 1 Command, Port Harcourt, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, Customs Area Controller, Area 5 Ibeto Seaport and Terminals, Comptroller Usman Yahaya, Comptroller AB Jaja, Eastern Marine Command, Comptroller Dauda Giwah, Cross River Akwa Ibom/FTZ Area command, Comptroller A Bodunde, Anambra/Enugu/ Ebonyi Command, and other officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service.
In attendance at the event were members of ANLCA, NAGAFF and other freight forwarding associations, bonded terminal operators, WACT, shipping companies, Rivers state government officials among others.
At the end of the event, freight forwarders in Zone ‘C’, of Nigeria Customs Service made the donation of 500 million, in support of the project.
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