Compt. Nnadi assumes duty at Seme Customs command
…Promises enhanced border security, trade facilitation
Comptroller Dera Nnadi on Monday assumed duties as the Area Controller of the Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Nnadi took over from Compt. Bello Jibo, who has been redeployed to the Abuja headquarters as Assistant Comptroller General in acting capacity.
The anti-smuggling czar and former ace image maker promised at the brief handover ceremony to sustain and improve the tempo on trade facilitation at the country’s busiest land border.
He stressed that with Nigeria being a “strategic economic player in Africa”, schemes like ongoing ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and soon to take off African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), would be explored for the common good of the country.
Nnadi remarked that Nigeria’s economy is central to the West African sub-region with its population of over 200 million, adding that the country has the potentials to contribute to the over one billion African population through the AfCFTA regime.
He enjoined his officers, other government agencies, members of the border community and travelers to
embrace challenges in trans-border trade and comply with the law guiding international trade all the time.
The controller noted that the border communities have challenges especially infrastructure wise, he nevertheless agreed that such were not insurmountable as, according to him, there was the need to cover up such gaps in order to improve their standard of living and promote lawful sources of livelihood.
He advised his officers to be polite to travelers and traders using the Seme corridor and be firm in curbing any form of lawlessness as the 2023 general elections approach.
He promised to bring his experience and knowledge from previous assignments across the border and his academic exposures to bear in the border administration and management.
It would be recalled that before the new Seme Controller went to NIPSS in 2022 after he had a short but fruitful spell at the Idiroko Command as controller.
He had also been image maker of Customs Zonal headquarters, Harvey Road, Yaba and Apapa command for many years in the past.