The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has trained about fifty maritime journalists on quality reportage of Customs’ operations.
The training was done at the Customs Training College, Gwadalada, Abuja last week.
The training tagged ‘ECOWAS Common External Tariff, Implementation, Challenges and Prospects’ was organised for maritime reporters and public relations officers.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko commended the Maritime reporters for proper dissemination of Customs guidelines to the public over the years.
Abdullahi, who was represented by a Deputy Comptroller-General, Mr Aminu Abba said, ” I will not be tired of hosting journalists anytime they wish to use Customs facilities to improve their knowledge on any new innovation in the maritime industry.
“I appreciate maritime reporters for being part of Customs’ history, enabling Customs to achieve revenue targets throughout the command,” Abdullahi said.
He also disclosed that since the training school was inaugurated, the service has trained over 5,000 people including Customs officers on different Customs guidelines.
Also speaking, a former Deputy Comptroller – General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Manessah Jatau, commended the management of the Service for its continuous sensitization and enlightenment of Customs’ guidelines for effective implementation of government’s policies.
“One of the key indicators of the Nigeria Customs Service educating its clients was to achieve good performance of its policies,” Jatau said.
He encouraged reporters who participated in the training to listen, learn and teach other reporters who were not part of the training.
Speaking earlier, in her opening remarks Mrs Ifeyinwa Obi, President of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) who was represented by the Vice President, Mr Funsho Olojo, commended the Service for facilitating the training of maritime journalists.
“There is a belief that training a journalist is as good as training a nation because people are going to see a better informed public.
“A lot of importers and agents have been having doubts about the implementation of the Common External Tariffs,” Obi said.
She, however, appreciated the Comptroller General for continuous training of officers, stakeholders as well as maritime reporters for smooth implementation of government’s policies.
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