Customs Cares: Nigeria Customs Service gets 50 Hectares Land Boost from Lagos State Goverment
Bisi Akingbade
The Comptroller General of Customs, CGC, Comptroller Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has disclosed that the Lagos State Governor has given Nigeria Customs Service 50 hecters of land in Badagry to build College of Education which has been approved by the Federal government to commence construction.
Comptroller Adeniyi made this disclosure at the commissioning of renovated Christ Assembly Nursery and Primary School, Ajeromi Ifelodun area in Lagos on Thursday.
He commended the support by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwolu for allowing them to participate in the project.
The CGC explained that Nigeria Customs Service, Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, embarked upon was community-based initiatives which started in Ajeromi ifelodun area of Lagos State.
"We started customs CSR Sagbokoji Primary School a riverine community under Amuwo Odofin Local Government and now we are in Ajeromi Ifelodun area of Lagos.
CG Adeniyi who stated that the service is not in competition with any government agencies but to recognized that all communities remain a strong pillar of support and to discharge the support to them.
Adeniyi explained that the customs CRS leveraged on life changing interventions such as education, healthcare, sporting, creative industrialist/ ITC, and waters.
The comptroller general said the service would not only be known for revenue generation but to also improve the lives of the people as part of its CSR in the country.
He promised to enhance community well-being, and fosters sustainable development, ultimately making a positive impact on the lives of those they serve.
"Our CSR target in 2025 is to directly reach out to 50,000 students across the country with writing tools, bags, school unifor, pencils, biro, erasers, sharpner, raincoat, among others things.
"We have donated writing materials to 10,000 children, so we are going to reach out to school pupils in other part of the country.
"We have budgeted Health delivery for 10,000 Nigeria in 2025, what we are doing is in line with our CSR, all our community where we serve remain strong pillar, that is why we will continue our support them.
"The picture we let you appreciate the depth of customs intervention. We are happy that our intervention have brought a conducive environment and also Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu,"
Adeniyi said customs would teamed up the Ajeromi Ifelodun LCDA to see what they could contribute to Marakana stadium in the area to encourage sporting talented children in the area.
CG Adeniyi promised to discuss with other agencies of government to see opportunity of partnership.
The Zonal Coordinator Zone'A', Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Charles Orbih, said the commissioning was a beginning of a transformative journey that would leave lasting footprints in their host communities.
Orbih commended Adeniyi for his exemplary leadership which had consistently demonstrated that a modern customs service should excel not only in revenue generation, trade facilitation, and border security.
The Customs Comptroller in Charge of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mbwidiffu Ibrahim, said the CSR was to bridge the gap between the service and society and reinforcing the fact that customs was not just a government institution.
In his goodwill message, a member, Ajeromi Ifelodun Federal House of representative, Mr Paul Adeboye, commended customs saying that it showed that parastatals were waking up to respect the CSR Act.
He urged other agencies to emulate this kind gesture by the Nigeria Customs Service.
His Royal Majesty , Oba Muhammed Maruf, the Olumakinwa of Apapa Kingdom, commended customs for being the first government agency to extend CSR to primary school in Ajeromi Ifelodun area.
He urged the school authority to create a maintenance section for renovated buildings.
Also speaking, The Chairman Ajeromi Ifelodun, LCDA, Mr Fatai Ayoola, appreciated customs for supporting the young children who would be the feature leaders.
He said that Ajeromi has large school in the community adding that the council construction Marakana stadium.
