In One Scoop Apapa Customs, CAC, Olomu Clinch 3 Awards
… Olomu named Controller of The Year
In the prestigious Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Award Night, the Apapa Port Command of Nigeria Customs Service and it’s Area Controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, have been honoured with three awards at the ceremony held on Friday November 29, 2024 in Abuja.
The Command won the CGC Award for Revenue Collection and an Award of Excellence for its outstanding feats, while the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Olomu who was celebrated by colleagues,friends and stakeholders stood out as the star of the night.
He emerged “Best Controller of the Year” for his exceptional leadership and improving on the Command’s capacity to deliver on its mandates at Nigeria’s premier port of Apapa.
The three awards which were presented to the Command at the ceremony hosted by the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, recognised the Command for its various groundbreaking achievements in the areas of revenue collection, anti smuggling and trade facilitation.
For the first time in the history of the Command, it generated N2trillion as revenue into the government coffers as at November 20, 2024.
Under the leadership of Olomu, the Command raised the bar of preventing revenue leakages and achieving maximum collection, even in the face of low trade volume.
With hands on daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly evaluation of its activities, the Command has been attune to getting all officers to resume early, process all entries timely, carry out diligent examination and shun compromise in the discharge of their duties.
Shortly after receiving the awards in Abuja, Olomu while holding the plaques and certificates dedicated the honour to all officers and men of the Command.
The Area Controller described the achievements as result of teamwork, dedication, focus and cooperation.
He said no leader can excel without supportive lieutenants and, therefore called for continuous support from all stakeholders as we enter the last month of the year 2024.
He further described the award as a motivation for selflessness, call for increased commitment and a challenge to sustain and improve on the tempo of work at the Command which will cascade to all bonded terminals attached to it.
While thanking the CGC for the honour bestowed on the Command, Olomu said as the number one Customs Officer in Nigeria, Adeniyi has been a source of inspiration and good example for all officers to emulate.
The Controller urged all port users to rededicate themselves to national service by being law abiding and reporting suspected unlawful acts in the port to the service and other security agencies.
Olomu lauded import and export traders who have used Apapa Port within the period of his leadership and implored them to operate in full compliance with the guidelines for their trade.
He specifically commended exporters who pioneered export activities under the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Olomu urged more Nigerian business men and women to take advantage of the ease of doing business initiative to use Apapa Port.
He invited them to tap into the simplified procedures being emplaced by the CGC under an evolving modernisation regime to trade seamlessly.
The CAC admonished officers of the Command not to see the three awards as the end of hard work but a motivation and challenge to work harder.
He reminded them that compliance saves money, saves time, build integrity for positive profiling and helps in recognition for upgrade to the authorised economic operator (AEO) status.
