The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) board has approved the upgrade of Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada to a Training and Doctrine School.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), made this known during the graduation of 40 officers of Junior Course four in Abuja on Friday.
Represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources Department, Mr Umar Sanusi, Ali said the upgrade was part of ongoing reforms being carried out in the service.
He explained that it was also to widen the scope of the college to include more courses that were lacking in the college before.
According to him, the new status will now be equated to that of a military training school as the institution will now train other customs training colleges in Kano and Lagos.
“With this development, more officers can be trained in the command and officers from western and central Africa can be part of the programme,’’ he said.
The customs boss also said that the college would introduce new courses on the recently signed Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, it is necessary for the officers to get acquainted with the policy.
He said that capital projects such as building of more class rooms and quarters for students and directing staff would be constructed as part of the expansion plan of the college
He advised graduating officers to be more disciplined and dedicated to duty after the three months course.
In his remarks, the commandant of the college, Acting Deputy Controller-General, David Chikan said that 40 students graduated from junior course four for the 2019 session.
Chikan expressed satisfaction with their performance and conduct while at the college for the three months programme.
He commended the CG’s effort on human capacity development which he described as key in ensuring professionalism.
