The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Area ll Command, Onne Port, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, has enjoined newly promoted officers of the Command to embrace Customs related technology.
The CAC spoke in Onne on Wednesday at the decoration ceremony of 115 newly promoted officers of the command, a statement by Ifeoma Ojekwu, Public Relations Officer, Area ll Command Onne Port, Rivers, said on Thursday.
“ Every officer should show interest in the ongoing modernisation of the service operations through the e-customs project.
“Using artificial intelligence for customs purposes has been noted to be time saving, helps in achieving accuracy, prevention of mistakes and increasing overall productivity,” Mohammed is quoted as saying.
According to him, newly promoted officers of the command should see themselves as shining examples of an evolving modern Customs organisation that will be comparable with their peers across the globe.
He urged the officers to acquaint themselves with all stages of modern Customs operations as the approved e-customs project will require them to apply knowledge and skills at work.
“While you study the books of instructions, I enjoin you all to refresh yourselves or show interest in training and retraining in critical areas like scanner operation, image analysis, data capture, profiling and others.
“As you are aware already, modern Customs is knowledge driven and a good way to justify the confidence reposed on you by the Board and Management is to focus on developing your knowledge in these important areas of our function.
“This promotion will cause some of you to take superior responsibilities. Make it a point of duty to transfer knowledge to junior officers for ease of transition and seamlessness of our operations at all times
“Always uphold our procedure of hundred percent physical examination and be resolute to make seizures and arrests anytime offending items are discovered with suspects.
“As I have always said, this Command will remain a no go area for perpetrators of illicit trade or duty evasion. We are here to detect and arrest them anytime they dare us. We have done it before and will keep doing it.
“Keep up the good work and dedication to service that earned you these elevations and always be worthy examples as leaders wherever you find yourselves.
“For those who did not get it this time around, I urge them to brace up with hope. There is always another opportunity for promotion,” he said
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that among the newly promoted officers listed include three Comptrollers who rose from Deputy Comptroller rank and six Deputy Comptrollers from Assistant Comptroller.
Also, four Assistant Comptroller from Chief Superintendent of Customs , 13 Chief Superintendent of Customs who rose from Superintendent of Customs rank, 22 Superintendent of Customs who rose from Deputy Superintendent of Customs were promoted.
In addition, 39 Deputy Superintendent of Customs from Assistant Superintendent of Customs 1, 18 Assistant Superintendent of Customs 1 from Assistant Superintendent of Customs ll and 10 Assistant Superintendent of Customs ll from the Inspector of Customs cadre were elevated.
