NUJ Gala night : Comptroller Nnadi lauds Adeleye Ajayi, maritime media on Port reforms

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Expresses gratitude to CGC Hameed Ali for his promotion, new assignment as Area Controller

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of
Ogun 1 Command,
Idiroko, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, has commended the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council and the maritime media on important roles they played in port reforms in the country.

He gave this commendation in his goodwill message, during the occasion of Gala/ Award night, organised by the Council to make its Press Week, yesterday at Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Compt Nnadi, who was represented by the Zonal Public Relations Officer (PRO), a Superintendent of Customs – SC Nkiru Nwala, described Lagos NUJ Chairman as a person of integrity.

Speaking further, he openly expressed his gratitude to the Comptroller- General of Customs, CGC Hameed Ibrahim Ali and the Management team for his promotion, as well as new assignment as Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Ogun 1 Command.

His assertions :

“Friends of the pen. I join you for todays celebration with joy in my heart. My excitement stems from my sitting close to my brother Leye Ajayi your Chairman and a friend, partner and a fellow member of team integrity.

“I have followed Leye from my days as Public Relations Officer at Zone ‘A’ Headquarters of Customs in Lagos and later as Public Relations Officer at Apapa Command, also in Lagos.

“You may wonder why this emphasis, but these periods coincided with the reforms, which laid the foundation for the bit of sanity we have at the ports today.

“Leye and other maritime journalists stood by me during this period, as we were stuck between government who wanted the reforms executed by all means and entrenched interests that included stakeholders, who were afraid that the reforms will negatively impact on their business.

“So, we needed the media to assuage their fears. The maritime media that included Leye, crime reporters, various business and financial desks of the publishing houses, as well as electronic media helped to propagate our ideas.

“The cooperation did not stop at that and has not stopped . The media followed my career progression based on the friendship and alliance we formed.

” When you extended this invitation to me, I was a Deputy Comptroller of Customs. Today I am attending the occasion as a Comptroller of Customs and not just that, as the Customs Area Controller of Ogun 1 Command. You stood by me and the Service.
I am grateful”.

He went on :
“May I use this opportunity to make the first public appreciation of this elavation and request that you help me to thank the Comptroller- General of Customs, CGC Hameed Ibrahim Ali and his Management, for considering me worthy of being promoted and further approving that I assist in directing affairs as CAC Ogun 1 Command – the gate way Command and flagship of Nigeria’s border with its proximate neighbours.

“May I also appeal that you help to use your editorials and publications to objectively address the challenges of smuggling in our borders and help to educate the border communities on the dangers of smuggling while highlighting to government,; where the communities need basic amenities.

“As we merry and dance tonight, do not forget to pray for our leaders and for peace to reign in our dear country”.