The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr. Adewale Bashir Adeniyi has harped on the need for improved sporting infrastructure in NCS formations across the country.
He averred that adequate facilities are essential in the identification and development of sporting talents of officers and men in the service.
Adeniyi who stated this while speaking at the NCS Zone ‘A’ Customs Games used the occasion to tap the NCS Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘A’, Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) Mohammed Babandede and members of the organising committee on the back for the success of the sports fiesta.
Describing the event as “colourful and impressive” the NCS boss poured encomiums on everyone who worked behind the scene to make it a very competitive occasion.
According to him, the large turnout of guests, and participants at the event demonstrated the growing interest in sports within the service, adding that the competition also reflected the three pillars of his administration — consolidation, collaboration and innovation.
He also hailed other government agencies, especially para-military organisations such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for their participation in the event.
Adeniyi described their presence at the venue of the sport fiesta which took place recently at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Lagos recently as a demonstration of collaboration and partnership in the discharge of national security roles and responsibilities to their fatherland.
The NCS boss used the occasion to express concern over the state of sporting facilities at the venue, pointing out that the facilities had remained largely unchanged since he trained there more than three decades ago.
Describing it as “unacceptable” for a service that had contributed significantly to sports development in the country, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) disclosed that NCS had produced athletes and teams that had excelled in various sporting competitions in the country.
He also revealed that NCS was the defending champion in male and female volleyball and had also performed strongly in basketball, football, athletics and beach volleyball over the years.
According to the CGC, the service was already building an ultra-modern sporting facility in one of its barracks in Kano State and promised that a befitting sports facility would be included in the proposed new location of the Customs Training College.
Adeniyi also corrected the description of the Zone ‘A’ competition as an inaugural event, recalling that similar zonal games had been organised in the past in Kano and other locations.
He enjoined NCS to revive inter-zonal competitions after all zones had organised their respective games.
According to Adeniyi, the competition offered important lessons that Customs officers and men should apply to their professional duties, particularly discipline, teamwork and strategy. Just as success in sports required discipline and effective teamwork, NCS operations, especially revenue generation also required clear strategies and coordinated efforts to attain set goals and objectives.
The NCS helmsman congratulated the winners and encouraged those who lost to prepare for future competitions.
He enjoined officers and men to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork in the discharge of their statutory roles and responsibilities in their various formations.
