Customs Comptroller Charges Public Servants On Group Activities, Relationships, Service

Erhagbe led the newly inaugurated executive members of the association on the familiarisation visit to Mohammed in his office.

Mohammed, who lauded the association for finding time to bond themselves in spite of exigencies of duty, assured of his support for the association.

“We should be able to relate, formally and informally; through phone calls and at personal at all times in spite of existing protocols and respective workload.

“Such relationships should not be limited to official matters. Find time to engage in group activities.  I am part of this association. We can benefit, advice each other even up to the family levels.

“Honestly, I know that our coming together is a sacrifice. With this visit, a relationship has been established even beyond individuals to interact within the limit of the law.

“Judging from the caliber of members and your day-to-day activities as public servants owing allegiance to the federal government in your respective places of work. `I can assure you that that I will do anything lawful to assist the association at all times

“Together we will add value to the activities of the association in Rivers state and also serve our country better,’” Mohammed assured.

Erhagbe had earlier told the Area 11 Controller that no fewer than 130 Federal Government establishments operate in Rivers alone.

He said that the federal government establishments in the state cut across Ministries, Departments and Agencies with thousands of workers in their employ.

According to Erhagbe, it is important for senior federal workers to work together to enable them to effectively carry out programmes and policies of the Federal Government in the state.

“So, it is on this note that the association was formed primarily to know ourselves and make an impact in the society that we find ourselves, live and work.

“We are children of the federal government, and as such, we decided to come together to encourage ourselves and serve the country better. We solely rely on ourselves to fund the association in conjunction with our big brothers,” he said.

Erhagbe, who commended the comptroller and his management team for their contributions to the nation’s economy, urged him to always send representatives to attend the group’s monthly meetings.    

Erhagbe and his team had also paid similar visit to Mrs Elisabeth Inok, the Comptroller of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Rivers’ Marine Command in Onne Port.

He told Inok that the association was making plans to establish a crèche and water bottling company in the state.

“Aside this, members of the association meet to exchange ideas; enlighten other federal civil servants and intimate them of our programmes,” he said.

On her part, Inok expressed her delight over the visit of the senior civil servants and urged them to remain committed to the development of the state.

She said that staff of the NIS ‘ were over the moon ‘ in a recent promotion exercise where the Comptroller- General of NIS, Mohammed Babandede, ensured the promotion of more than 90 to 98 per cent staff to new ranks .

Inok said: “It is quite unprecedented. Please help us to say kudos to the Comptroller-General. I have been enlightened about the activities of this Association through your visit.

`”The marine wing of the NIS is specialised setting located only in Lagos and Rivers states. We are important to Rivers State which has oil as mainstay of its economy.We help in also controlling oil related activities and in manning oil wells in their maritime domain.