Comptroller Suleiman Bomai has been appointed as the new Customs Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service’s Ports Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command (NCS).
He succeeds Festus Okun, who was promoted from Comptroller to Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG).
Yakubu Mohammad, the Command’s Customs Public Relations Officer, made the announcement in a statement released over the weekend.
Mohammad, a Superintendent of Customs (SC), stated that the new Controller has promised to maintain the Area Command’s robust stakeholder engagement.
Meanwhile, Comptroller Bomai, while taking over from Acting Assistant Comptroller General, Festus Oyedele Okun, in Lagos at the weekend, assured that the four-hour clearance of vehicles for compliant traders would be sustained
The new CAC also urged licensed customs agents, importers and freight forwarders to be compliant at all times as this will guarantee them the full benefits of trade facilitation.
The new CAC said he would continually improve on the laudable revenue collection, trade facilitation, customs community relations and non-compromise on their duties.
At the brief handover ceremony, Acting ACG Okun, the immediate past Controller described the command as one blessed with dedicated officers and stakeholders, and expressed gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), for the opportunity given him to serve in PTML Command from February 2020 to August 2022.
The outgoing Controller said revenue profile which was at N11billion monthly moved up to N27billion.He said: “It gives me great pleasure to sit here this morning to address you and make a farewell comment. First, I want to give all thanks to Almighty God for making this day possible.
“I want to thank Almighty God for what He has done in the Country, in the Service, in this Command and in my life. So, unto him, all Honor and adoration”.
Also, I want to seize this opportunity to thank the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and his entire management team, for considering me worthy of being appointed an acting Assistant Controller General of Customs and giving me the responsibility of being the Zonal Coordinator, Zone C of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“It is a great privilege to be so considered and I promise that I will do all things within my ability to serve Nigeria diligently, to Serve Nigeria Customs Service diligently, and to make sure that I do not slack in any area of my responsibility, and remain 100 percent committed in carrying out my responsibility in upliftment of the country, and in the pursuit of the core mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“I have come, I have seen and to the glory of God, I think I have conquered. Because a journey of about 30 Months and God has always being in charge and the CGC and the entire Management gave us the full support to perform in the command. With the marching order given to me now, to continue, I am sure I will not disappoint the management, I will not disappoint my family, and I will not disappoint God.
“Back to why we are here, I am proceeding, I have rounded up my tour of duty in PTML Command and I am proceeding to my new assignment. The journey started here 3rd of February, 2020. The takeoff was a bit rough, but the sailing was smooth and landing has been smooth.
“Let me start from our major responsibility, which is revenue generation, within the period I stayed here, I and my team have been able to raise the revenue profile of the command from barely N11billion per Month to about N27 billion per Month which is the highest in this command. That was achieved in the Month of June.
“So, we have been doing well and getting better, regularly on our revenue generation. I believe that this trend will continue because the man who is here today to take over from me is a man who has the knowledge, has the experience. I believe he will keep the flag flying.
“During my tour of duty in this command, we have enjoyed relative peace, and this is with the help of Almighty God, the support of the management team of the Nigeria Customs Service ably led by our CGC, the support of our stakeholders and my entire team, we have enjoyed this peace because even our modest achievement couldn’t have been possible in the absence of peace. So to our stakeholders, I say thank you for your support, members PTML command Customs team, I say thank you for your support throughout my stay.
“ I will please implore you to give all the necessary support to the in-coming Area Controller both from the officers, the stakeholders and terminal operators particularly, please, let him enjoy the peace and let him continue from where we are handing the baton. I am sure that God being on our side every positive thing in this command shall be sustained and even improved on.
The incoming Area Comptroller, I want to tell you that you have good officers, reliable, teachable, at the same time, I will like you to see them as your children. Forget about their age, some of them may be older than you. Be the mother hen that will shield the chicks from hawks.”
Comptroller Bomai said at his maiden speech that this was not a handing over ceremony, because he had not seen where an ACG is handing over to a Comptroller. This is a very rare occasion. What I think we are doing here is my superior, the ACG, is conveying the directives of the CGC for me to carry on with the leadership of the command.
“Acting ACG Sir, Your coming has ushered in peace stability and industrial harmony with strategic communications that would help achieve efficiency in service delivery.
“Inter agency collaboration and constant engagements can solve trade disputes and promote team work for maximum results. These are necessary ingredients in the management of 21st
