The Reconstituted Presidential Task Force Committee on the reform of the Nigeria Customs Service has endorsed the Training and Capacity Building Programme so far implemented by Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited for the Men and Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force, Dr Ochi Achinivu who recently led his team on an on-the-spot assessment of the facilities at the Lagos seaports described Cotecna’s capacity building drive as the needed tonic to enhance the performance of the Nigeria customs Service.

According to him, the programme is an affirmation that the international firm is committed to fulfilling its part of its subsistence contract with the Federal Government which is focused on the transfer of knowledge and skills to Officers and Men of the service.

He noted that with two years to the end of the seven-year contract which terminates in 2012, concerted efforts should be made by all the service providers to enable the officers garner more skills and experience in a well-laid out transition plan.

“It is only when Officers have been fully trained to take over the current functions, roles and services being undertaken by the service providers such as handling X-ray scanning equipment, risk management and valuation and classification, then the company can be said to have fulfilled its part of the contract that requires it to equip the NCS with the necessary competences needed to take over and effectively operate the Nigeria Destination Inspection Programme”, he said.

Cotecna’s Managing Director, Mr ‘Tayo Rabiu disclosed that with the contract provision to train 350 NCS, his company has far exceeded the requirements. According to him, 1020 Customs Officers have been trained by Cotecna in specialized fields including core customs functions and technical areas . From this figures 547 of them received training in Image Analysis/ Scanner Operations between January 2006 and October 4th 2010.