In a significant move aimed at enhancing educational opportunities and fostering closer cooperation, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has successfully secured land for the establishment of schools in Abuja, thereby fortifying collaborative efforts with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Comptroller-General of Customs who embarked on an official visit to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Barr. Nyesome Wike on October 9, 2023, at the Federal Capital Territory Secretariat in Abuja, solidified commitments to enhance mutual collaboration.
CGC Adeniyi began the interaction by extending his congratulations to Minister Wike on his appointment as FCT Minister by President Ahmad Bola Tinubu GCFR. He emphasized the crucial role the FCT plays in Nigeria and underscored the importance of ensuring its success, which has the potential to ripple across the nation.
Adeniyi elaborated on the core mandates of the Nigeria Customs Service, spanning revenue generation, anti-smuggling efforts, and trade facilitation. He particularly highlighted the challenges faced by over 2,500 Customs personnel in Abuja, including the issue of their children’s education, which often involves sending them to private schools.
To address this issue, the CGC made a heartfelt appeal to Minister Wike, requesting the allocation of land for the establishment of primary and secondary schools to cater to the educational needs of Customs personnel’s children in the capital city.
Minister Wike welcomed the CGC’s visit and assured him of his commitment to providing the necessary land for these educational facilities. He expressed his unwavering support to make the CGC’s tenure a successful one and confirmed that his ministry had received the Nigeria Customs Service’s formal request for land allocation, assuring its prompt approval.
Wike stated, “Our shared objective is to generate revenue for projects in Abuja, but given the CGC’s commendable intentions to establish schools for quality education, we are eager to grant NCS’ request.”
He urged the Customs Legal Adviser and the Federal Capital Territory Authority to expedite the legal procedures to facilitate the process. This collaborative effort aims to not only improve the educational prospects for Customs personnel’s children but also solidify the working relationship between the Customs Service and the Federal Capital Territory.
