By Asuquo Nuwak
The Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Customs Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, had a change of baton of it’s leadership, following the resumption of Comptroller Comfort Senas Ukpana as the new Customs Area Controller of the Command.
The new Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Comfort Senas Ukpanah, took over from Comptroller A M Adegbite, who was re-deployed to Edo/Delta Area Command.
In his opening remarks, Comptroller Adegbite, took time out to give a brief profile of the Command’s antecedents, while highlighting several areas of achievements and challenges.
Comptroller A M Adegbite, who spoke specifically in the area of revenue generation, also stated that, though the Command is landlocked, but they have been able to collect over seventeen billion naira (N17bn) from January to date.
While he commended officers and men of the Command, for their support during his tour of duty, he also called on them to redouble their support to the new Controller, whom he described as a core professional and highly disciplined officer. He thanked the stakeholders that graced the occasion and craved their support for the new administration.
In her response, the new Customs Area Controller, Comfort Senas Ukpanah, appreciated the outgoing Controller for his leadership qualities which has resulted in the achievements recorded so far.
The new Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Comfort Senas Ukpanah, while addressing other Senior Officers in the Command, enumerated her agenda towards changing the paradigm for better efficiency.
She commended the appointment of the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, dsm, Fnipr, psc(+) describing it as well deserved.
She charged officers/men of the command to gear up for the task ahead. That is the task of transforming the command through her core cardinal programs which will center on: Discipline/Code of conduct,
Revenue Collection, Facilitation of legitimate trade, Inter-Agency Collaboration and Synergy as well as Stakeholder Engagement. She added that her attention would be centered on the aforementioned.
She therefore, charged all senior officers to redouble their efforts in all areas of the command’s operations to enable the command meet and surpass it’s revenue targets.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), drew their attention to the key performance indicator (KPI) which is revenue, and charged officers to ensure that areas of revenue leakages are identified and plugged, especially now that the Federal Government relies so much on Customs for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.
The new Customs Area Controller, also spoke on the need for training and retraining to enable officers be at par with latest operational developments in the service, especially in the areas of ICT, in view of the imminent full automation of Customs processes and procedures. She also spoke on the need for senior officers to mentor the junior ones in line with the theme of the last “World Customs Day” for posterity sake.
Comptroller Comfort Senas Ukpanah comes from Mbio-Oku Ikot odung, in Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria. She had her early education at the Government Primary School, Atu in Calabar, Cross River State. Then proceeded to Immaculate Conception Girls Secondary School Itak, Ikono, Akwa-Ibom State, where she represented the school at the National Secondary School Science Quiz in 1982 at Lagos, winning several awards and medals.
She is a graduate of Chemistry, from the University of Calabar. Comptroller Comfort Senas Ukpanah had her national Youth Service Corps with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) refinery at Ekpan, Warri, Delta State in 1984.
She was enlisted into Nigeria Customs Service as a cadet officer in 1990, and had her basic training at the Nigeria Customs Service Training College, Ikeja, in 1991. Comptroller Comfort Senas Ukpanah has served at various Commands including but not limited to the following viz:
Kirikiri Lighter Terminal,
Federal Capital Territory Command,
Tariff and Trade Department,
Murtala Mohammed Airport Command, and
Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command.
She rose through the ranks and became a full Comptroller in 2022 and was posted to the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone ‘A’ Headquarters as Comptroller Special Duties, an assignment with a schedule directly under the office of ACG/Zonal Cordinator. And following the recent reshuffle of Customs Area Controllers, Comptroller Comfort Senas Ukpanah was redeployed to Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Area Command as Customs Area Controller.
It is important to note that Comptroller Comfort Ukpanah, has always demonstrated enough capacity and panache in her tour of duty, especially on the core areas of Customs Operations.
In conclusion, as an expert in Valuation/Classification, Comptroller Comfort Senas Ukpanah, has attended various professional courses both within and outside the country, such as World Customs Organization organized courses, Risk Management, Cargo Profiling, Leadership, Corporate Governance, Modernization among others.