By Bon Peters
The decoration of the newly promoted officers which took place at Port Harcourt Area II Customs Command Onne, recently has elicited positive reactions as the Chairman/CEO of Odest Global Resources, Mr Chidera Oganuzor has applauded the Customs Area Controller, Onne, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede for his stellar performance.
Oganuzor’s reaction came on the heels of the decoration which saw Onne Customs command having the highest number of promoted officers with 14 Comptrollers and other officers, which he said “is the first in the history of any command to achieve such a feat.”
Speaking to the newly promoted officers, friends and well-wishers at Onne last week, during the decoration ceremony, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede expressed his delight since the list of the promoted officers was released last year which saw Port Harcourt Area II Customs Command, topping the chart of the newly promoted officers nationwide.
He said with all sense of humility that it was not easy to harvest the type of officers who have gotten this promotion, adding, “Promotion is not a right but a privilege, you were chosen not because you are the best, but lucky.”
Comptroller Babandede enjoined the newly promoted officers to see their promotion as an act of God even as he urged them to exhibit high level of integrity, dedication and professionalism to duty, emphasizing that much has been given to them, much is also expected.
He admonished those not promoted to be patient as theirs would come in no distant time.
Babandede, also used the opportunity to acknowledge the role of the family in the performance of every Customs officer, insisting that families have played a very vital role in the success of the promoted officers.
However, Oganuzor, who is a Maritime expert and chairman/CEO Odest Global Resources Ltd which operates a Customs Bonded Terminal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State noted that he was happy to be among those celebrating, as “a Comptroller emerged from Odest Bonded Terminal, an AC was promoted to DC and others.
“They have done well. I tell them this is just a starting point, one day a CG will emerge from this terminal,” he said.
Continuing, he said since the assumption of office at Onne, “Comptroller Mohammed Babandede has upped the ante in Customs operations.
“He knows what he is doing. And he is the head and what he is doing others are emulating.”
Onne has the highest number of promoted Comptrollers, and I am happy that Comptroller General of Customs BA Adeniyi MFR recognized Babandede’s good work.”
“Remember some officers have a special promotion that is a double plus for them.”
He added “Babandede has succeeded in fighting smugglers, blocking the loopholes making it impossible for some fraudulent agents who think they are smart to operate. And he has also facilitated legitimate trade and ensured security and well being of Nigerians.”
Oganuzor hinted that such has resulted in a mind boggling seizures and increase in revenue generation of the command.
He reiterated, he was happy that some officers were promoted to the rank of Comptroller and Deputy Comptroller among others from his terminal, attributing the success to the person in charge of the command, Comptroller Babandede.
On his relationship with Customs officers at his terminal, he said “we have the synergy and collaboration as such will help them achieve what brought them here in the first place.”
Noting “we draw a line between relationship and work. We know our boundaries, we work in synergy and cooperation.”
On his advice to the promoted officers, he said they should see the promotion as a call for more work even as he urged the ones not promoted to wait as theirs will come in due season.
“Everybody will not be promoted at the same time. I plead with you not to take it personal, be patient and align with the system of Area II Command and one day, your turn will come.”
In the recently released 2024 promotion for General Duty/Support Staff for officers and men of the Service, the Area 11 Command got some officers promoted as follows: A total of 14 Deputy Comptrollers were elevated to the rank of Comptrollers. A total of 6 Assistant Comptrollers were elevated to the rank of Deputy Comptrollers and 17 Chief Superintendent of Customs were elevated to the rank of Assistant Comptrollers.
Other newly promoted officers include 22 Chief Superintendent of Customs, 4 Superintendent of Customs, 18 Deputy Superintendent of Customs, 14 Assistant Superintendent of One and 16 to Assistant Superintendent of Two. Junior Officers were also promoted as 9 got Inspector of Customs, 3 got Customs Assistant One and 3 got Customs Assistant Two
Also some, officers and men of the command were rewarded for the role they played in the Interception of 844 units of riffles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition as promised by the Comptroller General of Customs BA Adeniyi as a total of eight officers of the command were given special promotion.
Present at the event were, the Port Manager, Nigerian Ports Authority, Onne Port Complex Dr Abdulrahmon Hussein, Commissioner of Police Eastern Ports, CP Jimoh Moshood representatives of other sister government agencies like NDLEA, Immigration, SON, FRSC and Freight forwarding associations – ANLCA, NAGAFF, APFFLON among others.
