By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief  

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is set to engage the services of some of its retired management staff to play key roles in policy formulation and trade facilitation.

Giving this hint at the maiden re-union of retired management staff and serving officers of NCS in Abuja last weekend, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, noted that the idea is rooted in the recognition of the invaluable wealth of experience, wisdom, and dedication that the ex-officers demonstrated during their service in the NCS.

He stated: “This reunion is our way of re-establishing and strengthening those roots that connect the past, present, and future of the Nigeria Customs Service.  

“As we bring together different generations of Management Staff, we acknowledge the tremendous wealth of knowledge and the untapped resource that retired officers represent.”  

Adeniyi emphasised the need to bridge the past and current generations of officers, adding that the practice was well rooted in some frontline organisations in the country,   including the Central Bank of Nigeria,   Shell Petroleum Development Company,   Nigeria Breweries and General Electric (Nigeria).

He explained further: “The importance of this connection is evident in various successful organizations that have harnessed the wealth of experience from their retirees.  

“These diverse instances underscore the transformative power of tapping into the wealth of experience held by retired professionals.  

“Their insights, cultivated through years of hands-on involvement, strategic decision-making, and problem-solving, have consistently proven invaluable. “In various organizations, these retirees have not only preserved institutional knowledge but have also played a pivotal role in guiding institutions toward innovation and sustainable growth.”