NCS partners WCO, UNCTAD to train personnel in leadership

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has partnered the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to train its newly constituted management team on leadership and management development programme.

The programme is targeted at the newly-promoted members of the management team of the Nigeria Customs Service.

According to the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, the programme focuses on personal leadership and management skills, organisation/strategic challenges, and executive team building.

Ali revealed that since his assumption of office as the CG of Customs, this is the third time such training would hold, noting that the training gives them perspective of leadership and what is required of them to be role models, especially how a large number of personnel have retired.

He said everyone is meant to play a role and be ready to take up responsibilities at any top position or see himself as the next leader of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Speaking on the effectiveness of the leadership programme, one of the facilitators, Donia Hammami, who also doubles as the Head of the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, noted that leadership is crucial for change and that the Nigeria Customs Service has started many reform processes, hence, the training.

“I am here with the support of the Trade Facilitation Programme, which is supported by the United Kingdom, it’s a partnership of 20 countries, most of them in Africa, where we use the best practices and guidelines of the World Customs Organisation and pair learning between the various Customs Administrations to further support NCS to become a World Class Customs Service,” Hammani said.

One of the participants, Acting Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Human Resource Development, Saidu Galadima, expressed gratitude for such training, which he said, is timely.

He said human development is very key to the attainment of all strategic goals and deliverables, starting with management.