By Femi Anamelechi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port & Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML) Area Command, in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), has organised a training session to educate officers on the importance of transparency and accountability in public service. The training which held at the Command on Wednesday, 19 March 2025, aimed to reinforce ethical practices among officers. In his opening remarks, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Tenny Daniyan, stressed the importance of transparency and accountability as hallmarks of integrity.
“As civil servants you are watch dogs and you must do your best to ensure transparency and accountability in your dealings with the people.” He commended the organisers for bringing ICPC officers to train Customs personnel on corruption related issues, urging attendees to take the lessons seriously. The CAC also addressed common misconceptions about Customs revenue collection saying “Nigeria Customs Service, of all the revenue collecting Agencies is the most transparent Agency in revenue collection in Nigeria because we do not collect money directly from the public, all the revenues are paid into Authorized Dealing Banks (ADB) and the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
According to the Area Controller, all Nigeria Customs Service revenue generation processes are fully automated. In her paper titled, “Promoting Transparency and Accountability in Public Service”, the ICPC Anti-Corruption and Transparency Officer, Titilayo Omoyouno, outlined key factors that drive corruption, including bribery, fraud, nepotism, extortion, and embezzlement. She attributed these to greed, peer pressure, lack of accountability, poverty, and the absence of integrity. She emphasised the importance of ethical conduct, prompt service delivery, and recognising officers who uphold integrity.
ICPC Commissioner for Lagos, Florence Bariboloka, urged Customs officers to uphold ethical standards in their official duties.The training session was highly interactive, addressing crucial issues that could strengthen transparency and accountability within public service.
