Cotecna Destination Inspection Nigeria Limited (CDIL) said it had trained 54 more Customs officers on valuation, classification and scanner management.
The company’s country managing director, Alhaji Tayo Rabiu, told journalists in Lagos that the training would empower the Customs officers in the various aspects of import document processing, scanning of goods, as well as in the handling of scanning machines.
He noted that the latest set of trainees who graduated towards the end of? 2011, consists of a set of 11 Customs officers who underwent a six (6) months training, adding that the officers received their training at the VCC Scanner sites in Abuja and Kano Airports, as well as Jibiya Land Border while the second group consists of 43 Customs officers in Lagos who were trained and graduated under the same programme. He noted that the officers who received their training at the Apapa and Tincan Scanner sites and the operations department had the opportunity to understudy Cotecna staff in different fields.
He said, “We are committed and will continue to do our best in providing the required training till the end of the contract. To achieve greater results, Cotecna has provided permanent offices and structures at all its scanning operational sites in the seaports and land borders. Most of these we did beyond the contract terms.”
According to him, about 3,000 Customs officers have been trained so far under the programme.
The completion ceremony of the fresh trainees took place at the Apapa Scanner site where Mr. Jude Mbadiwe, from the Directorate of Home Finance, Federal Ministry of Finance commended the company for its commitment in providing the needed training to NCS officers and other stakeholders. He called on the graduating participants to be prepared to transfer the knowledge acquired to their fellow colleagues who were not opportuned to attend the training.
While thanking the management of Cotecna,the Deputy Comptroller, Leggo Jack, who represented the Comptroller Apapa Customs Area Command, enjoined other service providers to emulate the company.