Twenty-nine journalists from Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), have completed a two day Seminar organized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Nigeria Customs Training College, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday.
The training/seminar which started on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 exposed Public Relations Officers of the service and journalists in Lagos to fair and balanced reportage; the language of International Trade, Media Relations Best Practices; Understanding Free Trade and the Challenges of Regulations; Navigating Social Media and the Menace of Fake News; and E-Customs – the Future of Trade Facilitation.
The second day of the workshop further provided participants the opportunity to be better informed from lectures delivered by resource persons at the exercise.
Mr Peter Oyeneye, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) presented a paper on “Crisis Communication”.
A Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Kikelomo Adeola, delivered a paper on “Coordinated Border Management; Imperative for National Searching”.
The Deputy National Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Timi Bimodi closed the presentation segment with a paper on “Import and Export: Understanding the Role of Customs”
The workshop was closely followed by an interactive session which availed participants the opportunity to further seek clarification and responses to questions awaiting urgent answers.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is on its way to attaining greater feat, as the service plans to flag off a platform called National Vehicle Registry (VREG).
The platform will serve as a centralised database for all vehicles in Nigeria, which will provide a personal identity number to all vehicles in the country, showcasing vehicles’ history, ownership history and vehicle location just to mention but a few.
The platform will also assist in solving problems associated with vehicles, related crimes and theft.
The official website of the National Vehicle Registry www.vreg.gov.ng will be commissioned at a later date.
The icing on the cake of the seminar was the presentation of certificates to participants which had 29 members of NUJ Lagos State Council as beneficiaries.
Lagos Council Chairman, Mr. Adeleye Ajayi expressed satisfaction with the conduct and commitment of journalists to the seminar, saying that more trainings for members were on the way.
He thanked the service for training journalists of Lagos State Council, saying that the training would allow journalists in the state to report the operations of the NCS professionally.
Mrs Biola Beckley, Vice Chairman, NUJ Lagos State Council, gave the vote of thanks.
“My assignment is a very brief one. On behalf of the leadership of NUJ Lagos State Council, ably led by Mr Adeleye Ajayi, we sincerely appreciate everyone, particularly our words of appreciation to the Customs Comptroller- General, Retired Col.Hammed Ali.
“We also want to appreciate the energetic National Public Relations Officer.
“To the chief host, the Commandant of Nigeria Customs Training College, the Deputy National Public Relations Officer, we appreciate you all,” she said. 
The Commandant of the training college, Comptroller Sarkin Kebbi, gave the closing remarks on behalf of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“Whatever has a beginning, must surely have an end.
“I wish all of you safe journey back to your respective homes,” Kebbi said.
