Customs, Stakeholders To Meet Regularly – Comptroller

In a move that demonstrates its commitment to engaging its customers on how best to provide sound and efficient clearing procedure, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa premier ports command, last Wednesday organised a programme tagged “stakeholder’s forum.

The forum was aimed at getting feedback and input from stakeholders on how best the command can improve on its service delivery.

During the one day event, which took place at the command conference hall, Apapa, stakeholders were treated to presentations, which highlighted the command’s transformational initiatives over the last four weeks.

Speaking at the forum, the command  Area Controller, Comptroller Umar M.D said the  command recognises the need to interact  with its stakeholders irrespective of their economic class , location or vocation, assuring that the new management  is  composed of young, experienced and  dynamic  professionals, who had brought fresh ideas with the intent of lifting the maritime sector to a greater height.

He added that it is on record that the last stakeholder’s forum was held on 17th August, 2011 where important issues and decisions were discussed.

However, it has become pertinent that we reconvene once more to brain storm over issues that concern our industries as regular consultations form part of the comptroller –General’s visionary six point agenda”, he  said.

In his words, “ it is through fora like  this that we can get feedbacks  from other stakeholders, review  procedures where necessary, highlight challenges and proffer solution to them. This command under my watch does not claim any monopoly of knowledge, and will encourage healthy, progressive dialogue that will impact positively on achieving our collective goals”.

Umar, added that the management would be receptive to all constructive suggestions to better the operational capacity of the ports as it affects the clearance procedures.