For their dedication to duty and service to humanity, a group of journalists honours the Officer-in-Charge of the Gate, Area 2 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, DC M Ibrahim and Deacon Chinedu Ikenga with award of excellence
By Jude Nzennaya, Port Harcourt
Adjudged worthy of recognition for their service to humanity, the Officer-in-Charge (O/C) at the Gate at the Area 2 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Onne Port in Rivers State, DC M Ibrahim and the General Manager, Prestige Associates Limited, Deacon Chinedu Ikenga were honoured with an award of excellence in recognition of their meritorious services to the country.
During the brief event organized under the auspices of the Pens and Lens group of Journalists led by Jude Nzennaya, the group restated the need for public officials to always exhibit transparency, diligence and faithfulness in all their endeavors.
While reading the citation of the DC Ibrahim in the presence of some of the officers of the unit, Editor of the Successor 360 magazine, Mr. Nnamdi C. Eke, pointed out that the award was not given by accident, but rather a result of several records of success of the Onne Command including the prevention of several illegal and prohibited items, which would have gotten into the nation though the nation’s exit and entry points, among others.
Eke, however, enjoined DC Ibrahim to always remain optimistic in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities and never be distracted by destructive criticisms and other challenges that may crop up but always brace up as a vibrant officer to overcome through transparency and constant supervision of his subordinates.
During the presentation of the award, which was done by Chris Okoro of the Pen and Lens group, he commended Ibrahim for his outstanding qualities and performance saying that the award was presented to him because of his distinguished services to the nation and humanity at large.
Okoro advised the O/C Gate to persevere in his duties and to understand that the award was to motivate him towards achieving greater goals and objectives and to also bear in mind that “to whom much is given, from him much is expected.”
Responding, Ibrahim said he was humbled by the award because he never knew that the little efforts he was making to ensure that things move accordingly as expected in his own jurisdiction was being acknowledged and appreciated by others and promised to put more efforts in his day to day activities in the Nigeria Customs Service.
He dedicated the award of excellence to his men in the Area 2 Command Onne, without whom he said, he wouldn’t have achieved such any without their contribution and cooperation of his men.
Similarly, Ikenga was also honoured with an award of excellence and diligence.
While reading his citation during the event held in his office, Nzennaya eulogised Deacon Ikenga for his outstanding qualities in the maritime industry saying that Deacon Ikenga is an amiable, diligent and trustworthy gentleman with a big heart, who has been an epitome of what a General Manager ought to be hence he was recognized with the award for his meritorious achievements in the maritime industry.
He noted that Prestige Associates Limited under Ikenga has taken maritime businesses into lofty heights because through his encouragement, a lot of people have been trained in the maritime industry thereby becoming maritime gurus and enjoined him to persevere in his good work and service to humanity and the nation.
While presenting the award of excellence, Chris Okoro informed him that he was bestowed with the honour to motivate him to achieve higher goals and objectives and prayed to God to give him the grace and good health to achieve more of his targets in the industry.
Responding, Deacon Ikenga expressed delight for being remembered in his efforts to ensure that things move accordingly in the maritime domain, adding that stakeholders in the maritime industry are partners with the maritime journalists because they have been working together successfully.
Deacon Ikenga said as the General Manager of Prestige Associates Limited, he has also served the Association of Nigeria License Customs Agents (ANLCA) in different capacities for the betterment of the Licensed agents, Nigeria Customs Service and importers so that they could work under the ambit of the law especially as regards advising the importers not to import illegal and prohibited items into the country and also by helping the NCS in revenue generation for the country.
