On launching the 2016 and 64th edition of the International World Customs Day in the port town of Tiko, the Director General of Customs, Fungod Edwin Nuvuga, recognised the huge contributions of the Tiko customs unit manned by Principal Customs Officer, Danglady Aboubakar.

The DG appreciated the steady growth of the Tiko unit which has shown all signs of maturity and patriotism.

On concrete terms, the said DG the enormous work being done by the unit to stay afloat and help the customs unit in its assignment to contribute to the national budget 700 billion.

Edwin Fungod Nuvuga noted with immense joy that the Tiko unit has seen its revenue collection grow from slightly above FCFA 90 million to well over half a billion in so short a time.

He told the crowd in the Tiko ceremonial ground that all the projects earmarked for Tiko had been executed satisfactorily with the warehouse constructed to standards, the follow-up mechanism functioning as required and the inadequate staff working tirelessly very dedicated to service.

On a historical note, the DG, like the mayor of the Tiko Municipality, Chief Daniel Mukoundu Ngande, went down memory lane where they discovered the giant maritime merchants that used the Tiko port and wondered what was happening with the tested Tiko port.

In their search for solutions on why the Tiko port suffered neglect and abandonment, the aforementioned two authorities saw irresponsibility from some assigned officials along the line but announced that the Tiko port was on the dawn of a new era prone to produce results.

Harping on the year’s theme for the celebrations: digitalisation of the customs sector or digital customs, progressive engagements, the DG insisted, “the customs sector cannot be left behind in the digital age where speed and accuracy are the order of the day…we must serve our customs fast…take stock of our activities fast and meet the challenges and exigencies of the times…we are in a race to meet up with standards and produce results and we cannot be indifferent to the trends sweeping worldwide and carrying everybody on board.

On a cautionary note, the South West governor’s special representative, Haman Dahirou Haman, called on the custom actors not to abuse the new digital dispensations for their selfish gains. He reminded them that the government counts on the customs sector for her economic prosperity and emergence.

The head of the Tiko principal customs unit, Danglady Aboubakar, said he was humbled by the recognition from hierarchy and prayed to redouble his efforts to attain the projected target of FCFA 1 billion. He charged his collaborators to join hands with him so as to deliver.