The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Tincan Island Port Command (TCIPC), has reiterated its unwavering commitment to integrity and professionalism at a one day lecture organised by the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the NCS, in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Lagos Office.
The lecture, held recently, was attended by Deputy Controllers (DC’s), Assistant Controllers (AC’s), and heads of key units including, Valuation, Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), Post Clearance Audit (PCA), and the Customs Police Unit (CPU).
In his address, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Frank Onyeka, stated that the Command has transformed its approach, placing integrity and service delivery at the forefront of its operations.
The CAC stated, “What we are trying to propagate is a 21st-century Customs. What we did when we came here was to get feedbacks from our stakeholders. That acted as a bedrock for us to do things differently that will impact positively on the society and nation as a whole”.
“I make bold to say that our officers have been very upright in their duties and when you talk about corruption, it’s zero level at Tincan Island Port”, he added.
He further emphasised that the Command remains focused on its core responsibilities of revenue generation, anti-smuggling, trade facilitation, and national security, while maintaining ethical standards.
Speaking during the session, ACTU Coordinator for Zone ‘A’, Assistant Controller Femi Awoniyi, explained the legal mandate under which ACTU operates. “Section 6 (a-f) of the ICPC Act 2000 empowers ACTU to investigate and arrest an officer, but cannot prosecute. However, that same law permits ACTU to report any case within the service to the ICPC for prosecution”.
In her presentation, the ICPC representative from the Public Enlightenment and Education Unit, Mary Omonoyan, stressed the value of ethical conduct in public institutions.
She said, “when there is transparency and accountability in an organisation, it fosters public trust. So, as we build our transparency and accountability, it will enhance performance in the work place and also improve our national image”.
The interactive session was well received by participants and further reinforced the growing culture of accountability within the Service.
