.L- R: Comptroller, Apapa Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), Abba Kura, Assistant Comptroller General, Zonal Coordinator Zone 'A' Nigeria Customs Service, Kathrene Ekekezie, during the Commissioning of Clinic and Gymnasium for the command on Thursday in Lagos.
The Zonal Coordinator, 'Zone A', Nigeria Customs Service (NCS); Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Kaycee Ekekezie on Thursday commissioned a new clinic and a fitness centre for the use of officers at the Apapa Command.
Speaking during the commissioning, the Zonal Coordinator commended the out-going Area Controller, Apapa Command, Mohammed Abba-Kura for transforming the ambience of the Command.
The ACG expressed delight on the refurbished gym, stressing that physical exercise is very important to stay healthy and active.
"At the Zonal level, I usually get complaints from various Commands, but very few came from the Apapa Command throughout the leadership of Abba-Kura. Stakeholders interest and views must be respected because the relationship is like a marriage. Due procedure must be followed to guarantee compliance and boost trade facilitation," she said.
She assured freight forwarders that as long as they are trade-compliant, their jobs will be facilitated; even as she assured that reports made to the Zonal office on overzealous Customs officers will be treated seriously.
"If the out-going Area Controller isn't a clean person, you wouldn't have this level of tidiness. This is what encouraged officers to meet and surpass the target given to the Command last year. Officers should always endeavour to make positive changes everywhere they find themselves. This Command is looking different and it has taken its position as premier port in terms of cleanliness and orderliness," she stated.
After inspecting the clinic, she advised that blood pressure and blood sugar tests should be done frequently, especially for officers above 50 years.
"80% of the revenue for the Zone comes from Apapa. This structure has been in place since 1998 and it was abandoned until someone came up to effectively manage the space and refurbish the place. You have a full gym and a new clinic for stakeholders and officers. We are recommending this type of structures in every Area Command in the Zone," the Zonal boss added.
Abba-Kura, who has just been promoted to an acting Assistant Comptroller General (ACG), Customs Headquarters, stated that officers of the Command will use the gym to keep fit to enable them stay alert and do their jobs the way they ought to.
He noted that one of the NCS doctors had stressed the need to have a new clinic to address some health issues before evacuating sick officers or stakeholders to the main clinic at Warehouse Road, in Apapa.
His words: "We are first in everything. Number one in revenue, anti-smuggling and everything. I'll call on my successor to maintain this success and make efforts to surpass it."
"With the congestion in Apapa, there could be emergencies in the Command that may be fatal if such persons are subjected to the traffic situation before getting to the hospital in Warehouse Road, Apapa. We have this clinic to address emergencies before evacuating them to the hospital," he added.
