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Customs Dominates Strategic Communication Space As NIPR Inducts 70

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja

R-L: President and Chairman of NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku; Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, presenting a certificate of induction to a newly inducted officer of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, during the Special induction ceremony of 70 NCS PR Officers in Abuja.

Determined to empower professionals with the relevant skills, the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has dominated the strategic communication space, as the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, inducted 70 Public Relations Officers, PRO, of the Service, marking the first mass induction into the Institute since 2013.

The ceremony, which was held at the Service Headquarters in Abuja, reflected the Service's commitment to building a corps of certified communication professionals equipped to effectively project its reforms, operations and institutional achievements.

Addressing the newly inducted officers, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi described the induction as a strategic investment in the future of the Service's communication architecture.

He said that the Service's transformation, including its recognition as the best-performing government agency in Ease of Doing Business, was the result of deliberate reforms that required competent professionals to communicate the Service's successes with clarity, credibility and purpose.

Adeniyi informed that as the Service transitions to a technology-driven Customs administration, Public Relations practitioners must remain proactive in countering misinformation, managing public perception and sustaining stakeholders' confidence.

 “Rumours will be heard, narratives will be pushed, so be ready to use your communication with clarity and the necessary measures so that rumours can be addressed swiftly and decisively," he added.

CGC Adeniyi revealed that the Service's flagship Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, initiative - Customs Cares, is expected to be recognised at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, describing it as a legacy project whose impact must continue to be amplified through strategic, ethical and professional communication.

The President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku lauded the Service for prioritising professionalism and investing in the development of certified communication practitioners.

He observed that under the leadership of the Comptroller-General, the Service has evolved into a national institution admired for its reforms, corporate excellence and growing influence within the global Customs community.

“You can no longer dismiss matters concerning the Service. You must be proud of this as a Nigerian," Dr. Neliaku stated.

The retired Comptroller of Customs and former National Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah urged the newly inducted officers to uphold the ethics of the Public Relations profession by remaining truthful, accurate and responsible in their communication.

He encouraged them to embrace continuous professional development through seminars, workshops and active participation in NIPR activities, stressing that effective crisis communication demands composure, empathy and strategic thinking.

National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Aliyu Maiwada pointed out that the milestone would not have been achieved without the commitment of the Comptroller General of Customs as well other former Spokespersons of the Service who nurtured the unit to the enviable height.

The induction of the seventy officers marks another milestone in the Service's ongoing reform agenda and reinforces its commitment to institutionalising excellence in strategic communication.

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