Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA) has launched a campaign of funding to generate N500 million for the building of schools, hospitals and empowerment of 1,200 of its members in a new found resolution to care for customs officers in service.
National president of the association Mrs Kikelomo Adeniy said the plan is to establish COWA Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools across major border communities and even within cities and towns to offer decent, qualitative and affordable education to the children and wards of serving and retired Customs officers.
“COWA Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools will reduce the financial burden on Customs officers who pay exorbitant fees to educate their children. It will also enable us inculcate the high moral values associated with the Nigeria Customs Service in our children,” the wife of the Comptroller General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi said at the re-launch, investiture of patrons/patronesses and fund-raising dinner of the association.
She believes that providing decent accommodation for customs officers and their families in remote border areas will go a long way in boosting the morale of the officers and enhancing the fight against smuggling. “We can no longer close our eyes to see Customs officers becoming tenants to smugglers in border communities,” she said.
She said COWA is determined to expand the economic opportunities of its members through significant investments in training and suitable empowerment programmes.
“Our plan is to train and empower 1,200 of our members in the course of this year, to enable them contribute meaningfully to the economies of their families and the society. We already started this training and empowerment gradually last year but our target this year is to spread it to a large number of our members in various parts of the country, Adeniyi said, disclosing “We have also concluded plans to set up a fully equipped ultramodern COWA Skills Acquisition Centre here in Abuja where our members will receive regular training and retraining.”
Flanked by her husband, Mrs Adeniyi acknowledged that customs officers, especially those in remote border areas with their families are challenged by lack of decent housing; lack of access to decent and affordable schools for their children amidst need to economically empower the spouses of the officers across the country and a compelling need to launch an effective campaign against drug abuse across customs barracks to protect young officers from the potential harm and dangers associated with the consumption of illicit drugs.
The Customs CG who was also decorated as one of the patrons of COWA applauded the women and urged them to cooperate with his management in their determination to prioritise the welfare of men and women of the service.
Key launcher of the event, Prince Arthur Aze said he was in full support of the programme. He supported the fundraising with N10 million with a pledge to continue to support COWA in its determination to bring succour to serving officers.
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