NDLEA boss charges promoted officers on hard work, more commitment to duty  

…As Apapa CAC, port manager get decorated as ambassadors of war against drug abuse

Area Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Apapa Port Special Area Command, Gadzama Bashir, has charged newly promoted officers of the command to maintain hard work and redouble their efforts in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse in the country.

This is just as the command decorated the Controller, Apapa Area command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Yusuf Malanta, Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, Mrs. Fumilayo Olotu and heads of other sister agencies as Ambassador of War against Drug Abuse (WADA).

Speaking at the ceremony where 54 officers were decorated with their new ranks, Bashir advised the officers to see their promotion as a call for higher responsibilities while urging them to distinguish themselves and sustain the new work spirit engendered by the promotion.

He thanked the agency’s Commandant General, Brig-Gen Buba Marwa for placing high premium on motivation of officers and breaking the jinx of stagnation in the agency, stating that the promotion has generated a new spirit in Apapa Port Command were officers work after hours with results of landmark drug seizures at the port.

“I need to rightly express the profound appreciation of the Officers and Men of this Command to Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.) for offering us a new direction by placing high premium on the welfare and motivation of the staff of the Agency. He has seen motivation is key to productivity and no matter the level of technology that is made available a poorly motivated staff can never deliver optimally.

“The last promotion exercise involving 3,506 personnel of the Agency cutting across all cadres, has in no small measure lifted the spirit of the Officers and men of the Agency. Out of this number, fifty-four (54) members of staff of Apapa Port Special Area Command benefited from the exercise cutting across all the ranks. This singular action coming after years of career stagnation, has generated a new spirit in Apapa Port Command where officers work after hours and the results are very clear for all of us to see.

“We must be prepared to sustain this new work spirit engendered by the promotion. You have to be reminded of the popular saying that to whom much is given much is expected and that the reward for hard work is more work. Let us bear in mind that we have been elevated not because we have so distinguished ourselves but we have been elevated to distinguish ourselves,” he told the officers.

On the launch of War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), Bashir explained that the initiative, which was first launched by the agency’s Commandant General is a call to have meaning stakeholders join NDLEA in sensitizing the general populace of the dangers of indulging in illicit drug use and trafficking.

“WADA is to send the appropriate signal to all the actors in the illicit drug chain within the port and its environs that NDLEA is not going to spare any act in favour of drug activities.

“We have been appropriately motivated and given the mandate to crush any attempt to try our will for a drug-free Nigeria. We all have a duty to sensitize our communities, work places and wards in partnering with NDLEA.

“We are not unmindful of the burgeoning drug activity within the Apapa metropolis which forms the Apapa Port community and we are going to fight this to the finish, beginning today. This is an operational promise and it must be executed,” he said.

The NDLEA boss expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, the Navy and other sister agencies for their cooperation and synergy, stating that the agency would continue to leverage on their support to change the narrative of drug trafficking and abuse plaguing the country.

In his goodwill message, Controller, Apapa command of the NCS, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta charged the newly decorated officers to have a complete change of attitude in their approach to work and see their new ranks as more commitment to duty.

“You are now wearing a new look and once you are wearing a new look, it means you have to wear a new change of behavior and attitude, the way you relate and conduct yourselves even outside the command,” he told the officers.

On the war against drug abuse in the country, the Customs boss harped on the importance for shared intelligence through synergy among sister agencies and deployment of technology to reduce the menace of drug abuse.

“With synergy we have make Apapa command to be a no- go area for perpetrators of illegal trade and this is clearly indicated in our seizures,” he said.

Commander, Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport, Brigadier General WL Nzidee, urged the officers to put in their best to justify the confidence repose in them.