Senate commends FG on plan to establish additional training academy for NCS

Senate has commended the Federal Government on its resolve to solve the growing training needs of personnel’s of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) via establishment of additional training academy.

The training academy is to make officers meet the international best practices and curb the locally disturbing lack of professionalism amongst the service.

The Senate resolution was sequel to the consideration and adoption of a motion at plenary on Thursday.

The motion titled “Urgent need to prioritise implementation of Item No. 262 in the Appropriation Act, 2023 Nigeria Customs Service Capital Cost 2023 Budget proposal, being construction of Nigerian Customs Service Academy and Nigerian Customs Training School, Bauchi, was sponsored by Sen. Buba Shehu.(PDP-Bauchi).

Shehu, while leading the debate, said the NCS as an organisation, was considered as a cash cow-revenue generating and collecting body in Nigeria.

He said the NCS in its core mandate requires great deal of professionalism that flows primarily from training and retraining of officers and personnel of the service for optimal performance.

He said Senate had on July, 19, considered a motion on alleged reckless abuse of firearms by officers and men of the NCS.

He said the alleged reckless abuse was brought about by or could be attributed to lack of effective and basic training for staff development.

He said because of the phenomenal concerns as stated above vis-a-vis the evolving challenges associated with the service, the Federal Government in its wisdom proposed for additional training School, Academy to be sited in Bauchi State.

He said the proposal was contained in item No. 262 on the details of the Appropriation Act 2023 Nigeria Customs Service Capital Cost 2023 Budget.

He said the proposed academy was projected to be the best of its kind due a number of factors such as easy accessibility, apt location, peaceful environment, complimentary existing infrastructures and supportive Local communities among others.

Shehu said the proposed NCS training school/academy was a one-stop shop because it consisted of administrative block, perimeter fence and senior staff housing.

Others included generator house, staff room, class rooms libraries, laboratories, workshop, dining hall, girls hostel, boys hostel, intermediate staff housing, chief security’s office, sports area, drainage among other.

The lawmaker said the project was estimated to gulp approximately the sum of N14.2 billion as captured in the budget.

He said the construction of the additional customs training and academy to existing ones would provide the needed professional training towards meeting demands of institution in the country.

This, he said, would bring the personnel in tune with the current realities of professionalism in their dealings and international best practices and rid them of unprofessional and unethical conducts.

He expressed hope that President Bola Tinubu, having come with the good mantra of “Renewed Hope”, would ensure full implementation of the budget particularly in issues likes the proposed customs service training school.

The Senate further urged the Federal Government to ensure prompt and speedy implementation of the project as contained in the appropriation act 2023.

It also mandated the Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, when constituted to embark on effective oversight on the project and ensure its full completion.