By Peace Udugba
The Customs Area Controller, Tincan Island Port Command, Comptroller Joseph Anani, has begun his tenure with strategic engagements, inspections, and courtesy visits aimed at improving operational efficiency, strengthening stakeholder confidence, and deepening inter-agency collaboration.
As part of his familiarisation tour, Comptroller Anani inspected Customs formations and terminals within the Command to assess facilities, working conditions, and overall operational readiness. The exercise, which marked one of his first official assignments, is intended to enhance workplace standards and ensure officers are adequately positioned to deliver on the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.
In his maiden stakeholder engagement, Anani met with key freight forwarding associations, including ANLCA, NAGAFF, NCMDLCA, APFLON, and other industry players. He emphasized compliance, professionalism, and partnership as key pillars for seamless trade operations.
He outlined a reform-focused agenda anchored on strict adherence to Customs procedures and extant laws, particularly the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. He warned against misconduct and practices capable of undermining the integrity of the Service.
“We are setting a new tone anchored on compliance, collaboration, and service excellence. Every stakeholder has a role to play in making Tincan Island Port a model of trade facilitation and operational efficiency,” he said.
The Comptroller also held a roundtable with terminal operators, shipping companies, importers, exporters, and other stakeholders, reaffirming an open-door policy and urging improvements in port infrastructure to attract more vessel traffic and improve efficiency.
As part of inter-agency coordination efforts, Anani visited the Commissioner of Police, Port Authority Police (Western Command), CP Toyin Agbaminoja, where both parties pledged stronger collaboration on port security, intelligence sharing, and protection of lives and property.
He also met with the Commander of Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Solomon Omotosho, to strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking and other illicit activities around the port environment. Both agencies agreed on enhanced intelligence-led operations and coordinated enforcement.
Comptroller Anani expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to consolidate ongoing reforms while advancing the Service’s core mandates.
He reaffirmed that his administration will align with the policy thrust of the Comptroller-General, centered on “Consolidation, Collaboration, and Innovation,” to boost trade facilitation, revenue generation, and national security.
