The Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service is set to launch a dedicated training centre at the command for building capacity of customs officers, freight forwarders, customs brokers and the media on modern customs operations.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily last week, Public Relations Officer of the Command; Mr. Uche Ejesieme confirmed that the training centre would be launched as soon as the Controller of the Command, Compt Bashar. Yussuf gets clearance of the Customs headquarters.
Ejesieme said Compt Bashir, through the training programme has decided to key into the vision of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (rtd) which is to build the capacity of Tin Can Customs officers as well as the stakeholders on the latest trend in customs practice, according to World Customs Organisation (WCO) guidelines.
The training centre is located within the Tin Can Island port Customs premises.
Ejesieme told our correspondent that for now, the facility is undergoing test-run with about 30 computers being fully networked. He said the service is currently conducting internal training to test run the facility to make sure that once it commences, it would be continuous.
"Capacity building is a key element in modernisation and the latest trend in Nigeria customs operations. The Comptroller of Tin Can customs is passionate about it because of his background"
"The Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has encapsulated capacity building in his change mantra and this is being cascaded to all the area commands, particularly the Tin Can Island port"
"On assumption of office, Compt Bashir Yussuf saw the need to create a platform for the training and retraining of officers internally while also extending it to other stakeholders, because they are also part of the system"
"He actually muted the idea of a training centre which is yet to be launched. It would serve as a training centre for both officers and stakeholders. We have written to the headquarters and we are actually expecting their response, so that we can launch the facility" he told our correspondent.
He assured that the training would be a continuous exercise with resource persons coming in to sharpen the reflexes of stakeholders and officers on the trends in modernisation in line with WCO standard.
Ejesieme also explained that the command’s effort is to complement the capacity building of customs training schools. He described it as an internal arrangement to make sure that officers are in tandem with modern customs and how to conduct duties.
According to him, some of the courses that would be taught include; Classification, Valuation, integrity management, risk management, NCIS, PAAR and so on.
Also speaking on the proposed training programme, Secretary of the Tin Can Island Chapter of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Mr. Nzeribe Ebere commended the customs boss and described the training as a welcomed development.
"It is the right move in the right direction. Today, a customs broker can make inputs from the comfort of his home, at the end of the day he can clear his cargo online"
"The training will further empower the less privileged, those who have no power to attend computer school or own laptops, it would make them have a feel of what a computer system looks like and how it works"
"What Bashar and his team have done is commendable and we want others to borrow a leaf from what he is doing at Tin Can" he said.
Also commending Compt. Bashar, the Secretary of NAGAFF at Tin Can, Deacon Austen Dikke Kalu stated that "We commend him for all the areas he has presented to us when he came.
He is an IT student and what he knows is what he is trying to give out, most of his officers are not vast in computerisation and ASYCUDA but with his coming, they are already cueing in"
"We are so happy with the training school he is opening up for agents and customs, we duff our hats for him"
Discussion about this post