DC Afeni Urges Ogun 1 Customs Officers to Uphold Service Image
Kathy Kyari
The Acting Customs Area Controller (CAC), Ogun 1 Customs Command, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, has charged officers and men of the Command to embrace professionalism and ethical conduct, warning that reputation has become a critical asset in modern customs administration.
Afeni gave the charge on Thursday while delivering an address at a training programme on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Reputation Management Handbook held at the Command.
Speaking on the changing realities of the 21st century, the Acting CAC noted that the Customs Service must evolve with global trends, stressing that certain practices previously tolerated are no longer acceptable.
“In twenty first century customs, there are things that we should not be found doing. The world itself, is moving at a very fast pace, and so we must not be left behind. There are ways we used to do things that is no longer attainable. And your reputation, and by extension, the reputation of the service matters a lot,” Afeni said.
He emphasized that public perception of Customs officers directly reflects their character and the image of the Service.
“The way people see you speaks volume about who you are. There is a saying in my place that if you say God sees you, human being too should see you. If you say, God God sees my heart, they should be able to see who you are,” he added.
Afeni urged officers to build trust with stakeholders and abandon the mindset of impunity, warning that the digital age has made accountability unavoidable.
“The era of nothing will happen has passed. Whatever you do, people are recording you. And so this training is very essential at this time. And I want you to take this training very seriously,” he said.
He explained that the training was designed as a “train-the-trainer” initiative, noting that it would be impossible to assemble all officers in the Command at once.
“You that are OICs or coordinators, what you get, the materials that were made available to you today, it should be sent to your officers. You should call your officers and brief them,” Afeni instructed.
The Acting CAC described reputation management as an issue the Service can no longer afford to treat lightly, calling on officers to continually polish the image of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Also speaking at the event, Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) Sunday Ayeh, who delivered a lecture, described reputation as a lasting legacy that must be protected.
According to him, “reputation is our legacy, it is non negotiable.”
Ayeh urged officers to strictly adhere to the objectives of the Reputation Management Handbook, which include providing officers with a clear understanding of reputation management principles, aligning personnel with the image and identity of the Nigeria Customs Service, offering tools for consistent and ethical behaviour in professional and public settings, and guiding appropriate responses to reputational challenges.
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