Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has pledged that it will not renege in its efforts at modeling the youths of the host border community lines towards ensuring that they are useful to their parents, as well as the nation.
The customs area controller (CAC) for Ogun 1 Command, Comptroller Ahmad Shuaibu made the pledge in his address at the third edition of the Festival of Art for Economic Development programme held in Idiroko border, in the Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.
The programme, which was an initiative of Integration Arts Palace and Tours; one of the indigenous stakeholders in the Ogun borderline communities, was put together for the purpose of enlightening youths of the border communities on the customs’ activities and was well attended by participants from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Yaba College of Technology, and selected secondary schools in Ipokia Local Government Area, among others.
With particular emphasis on creative art for attracting tourists, as well as making it a viable means of livelihood, Shuaibu noted that youths’ restiveness could be tamed through art works.
He added that, “Once they’re engaged with what to do to earn a living, restiveness, armed robbery and other forms of banditry will be a thing of the past”.
At the five-day programme, themed: “The Role of Nigeria Customs Service in Economic Development and National Security”, which also had in attendance, the Deputy Mayor of Ifoyin Municipality, Igolo in the neighbouring Republic of Benin, Shuaibu described the programme as a panacea for youth restiveness and encouraged the development of skills in creative art.
“So, the Ogun Area 1 Command of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has been partnering with organizers of this programme to enable the youths not only be productive for the benefit of the society, but to equally exposed them to understand what we stand for, particularly in the area if national security, in addition to our statutory responsibilities of trade facilitation, revenue generation for government, as well as anti-smuggling activities in their communities, ” he said.
