The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) ushered in a new era of leadership at the Seme Area Command with the official assumption of duty by Comptroller Wale Adenuga, succeeding the recently promoted Assistant Comptroller General, Dr. Benedict Oramalugo. This transition marks a significant moment for the command, promising a continuation of the ongoing efforts to enhance trade facilitation, strengthen security, and foster collaboration with stakeholders in the region. Comptroller Adenuga’s arrival was formally announced by the command’s spokesperson, CSC Isah Sulaiman, setting the stage for a new chapter in the command’s operations.
Comptroller Adenuga, in his inaugural address, outlined his vision for the Seme Area Command, emphasizing trade facilitation as the cornerstone of his leadership. He underscored the direct correlation between efficient trade processes and revenue generation, highlighting that streamlined customs procedures will not only benefit businesses but also contribute to increased revenue collection for the government. He pledged to minimize delays for compliant traders, assuring them that properly declared consignments would be expeditiously processed, thereby reducing the incentive for smuggling. This proactive approach to trade facilitation signals a commitment to creating a more conducive environment for legitimate businesses operating within the command’s jurisdiction.
Furthermore, Comptroller Adenuga emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in achieving the command’s objectives. He pledged to strengthen existing partnerships and forge new alliances with key security and regulatory agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police, Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Military, and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). This collaborative approach aims to create a synergistic security network, enhancing the command’s ability to combat smuggling, illicit trade, and other criminal activities, while simultaneously fostering a secure and predictable business environment.
Recognizing the significance of community engagement, Comptroller Adenuga extended a hand of partnership to local stakeholders, including traditional rulers, youth groups in Badagry, and the media. He pledged to maintain open communication channels, ensuring that the command remains responsive to the needs and concerns of the community it serves. This commitment to transparency and dialogue underscores the importance of building trust and mutual understanding between the NCS and the local population, fostering a collaborative approach to border management and security.
Comptroller Adenuga also addressed the critical issue of internal discipline and professionalism within the NCS. He vowed to lead by example, upholding the highest standards of conduct and accountability among his officers. This commitment to ethical leadership reflects the broader reform agenda within the NCS, emphasizing integrity and professionalism as core values. He expressed his commitment to upholding the standards set by the Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, also the President of the World Customs Organisation Council, acknowledging his leadership as a source of inspiration.
The outgoing controller, Dr. Benedict Oramalugo, reflected on his tenure with mixed emotions, expressing both the joy of his promotion and the nostalgia of leaving behind the strong bonds he had formed at the Seme Area Command. He highlighted his achievements, which included a sustained crackdown on smuggling activities resulting in significant seizures of contraband goods, improved revenue collection through enhanced customs procedures, and the fostering of a more conducive environment for legitimate trade through streamlined processes. He also emphasized the strengthening of inter-agency cooperation, a testament to his commitment to collaborative security efforts. Dr. Oramalugo expressed his gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs and the NCS management for their unwavering support during his time at Seme, and urged stakeholders to extend the same cooperation to his successor, Comptroller Adenuga, ensuring a smooth transition and the continuation of the positive trajectory established during his leadership. This handover ceremony marked not only a change in leadership but also a reaffirmation of the NCS’s commitment to its core mandates of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and border security.
