The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday charged its senior officers to uphold best practices while discharging their duties.
By Aisha Cole
The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday charged its senior officers to uphold best practices while discharging their duties.
The Command’s Area Controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, gave the charge during a sensitisation organised for its senior officers by the Independent Corrupt Practices and related offences Commission (ICPC) in Apapa, Lagos.
Olomu charged the officers to always act in the best interests of the citizens and stakeholders, as public servants.
He urged them to always be transparent and accountable in their various posts.
“Transparency and accountability are not just ideals, they are essential pillars that support good governance and ensure that public servants act in the best interests of the citizens they serve.
“As we all know, transparency and accountability are the cornerstone of any effective and responsible administration.
“Therefore, this lecture comes at a critical time when our nation is striving to strengthen its institutions to promote a culture of uprightness in the public sector.
“Together, we can work towards a more transparent and accountable public service that upholds ethical values, responsibility and professionalism,” Olomu said.
Also speaking, the Representative of the Resident Commissioner, ICPC, Lagos, Mrs Florence Bariboloka, encouraged officers to always live within their means and avoid unnecessary pressure from peers and society.
Bariboloka said that unnecessary pressure could lead to a development which, she described, as the beginning of corruption and amassing undue wealth.
She advised officers not to allow anyone put them under pressure, especially their family members.
“When you go to the village, your loved ones will expect you to arrive in a very big jeep just because you are a customs officer, they expect you to own a big house. Don’t define yourself by that.
“When such an officer gets to his duty post, he will be under pressure, where he is supposed to quote N1 million, he will be demanding N3 million,” Bariboloka said.
She further explained that demonstrating commitment to prompt service delivery and observing the code of conduct and ethics of Customs entrenched transparency and accountability.
She also encouraged participants to show humility and apologise for wrong doings.
The Assistant Commissioner encouraged the Command to adopt the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, saying it had been utilised in over 280 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across the nation.
She charged the Apapa customs boss in collaboration with the Command’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), to always recognise and reward officers who had distinguished themselves with good conduct.
Bariboloka also encouraged others to always live up to expectations. (NAN).
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