By Harriet Tornguvan
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Medical Unit has commenced its 7th Annual Medical Corps Retreat in Katsina State, reaffirming the Service’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and staff welfare while extending medical support to host communities.
The five-day retreat, which began on Monday, is themed “Operational Wellbeing: Protecting Health to Protect Borders,” and is designed to enhance the capacity of medical personnel through professional engagement, policy review, strategic planning, and knowledge sharing among healthcare professionals and stakeholders.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resource Development, Tijjani Abe, described the retreat as a critical platform for professional interaction and healthcare advancement within the Service.
He stressed that a healthy workforce remains essential to operational efficiency and institutional effectiveness.
According to him, the Customs management remains committed to supporting initiatives that would improve the welfare, capacity, and working conditions of medical personnel across the Service.
“A healthy workforce remains the backbone of operational efficiency, productivity, and institutional effectiveness,” he said.
Abe also appreciated the Katsina State Government and residents for hosting the retreat, urging participants to build stronger professional networks and exchange experiences capable of improving healthcare delivery in the NCS.
In his welcome address, the Head of the Customs Medical Unit, Comptroller Ethelbert Nnaji, acknowledged the support of the Customs management, particularly the Comptroller-General and the Human Resource Development department, in strengthening the Service’s healthcare system.
He explained that the annual retreat serves as a forum to assess the performance of the Customs Medical Corps and formulate recommendations aimed at improving medical services for personnel.
“The NCS Medical Retreat provides the opportunity for the review of the performance of the Customs Service Medical Corps and to develop recommendations that will guide management toward improving healthcare services within the Service,” Nnaji said.
He noted that Katsina was selected as the venue because of the extensive Customs operations in the state and the need to strengthen relations with host communities for effective service delivery.
Nnaji further disclosed that the retreat would feature a free medical outreach in Daura under the Service’s corporate social responsibility initiative.
According to him, the Medical Unit is exploring orthodox medical practices and technological innovations to ensure quality healthcare reaches Customs officers across operational locations.
Declaring the retreat open, Katsina State Governor, Umar Dikko Radda, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu Funtua, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for prioritising the health and welfare of its personnel.
He praised the leadership of the Comptroller-General for implementing people-centred policies that promote institutional care and operational effectiveness.
“A healthy workforce is essential to effective service delivery and the attainment of organisational goals and objectives,” the governor’s representative stated.
Funtua also lauded the cordial relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and communities in Katsina State, while recognising the contributions of facilitators and health experts from Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital and other institutions participating in the retreat.
Delivering the vote of thanks, the Zonal Coordinator of Zone “B”, Nsikan Umoh, appreciated the Katsina State Government, Customs leadership, participants, and stakeholders for supporting the successful commencement of the programme.
The opening ceremony featured paper presentations by health professionals from across the country, focusing on modern healthcare ideas and professional practices aimed at enhancing service delivery within the Customs Medical Corps.
The retreat attracted Customs Area Controllers from commands under Zone “B”, senior officers, medical professionals, and other stakeholders.
Activities are expected to conclude with a large-scale free medical outreach in Daura and visits to selected health facilities for benchmarking and assessment.
