The Nigeria Customs Service says it has channelled about N70bn into corporate social responsibility initiatives across Nigeria in less than two years.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Monday during a visit to Osun State, where he spoke after the commissioning of facilities renovated at Ife Girls High School, Ile-Ife.
The project is one of the interventions carried out by the service as part of its CSR programme.
Adeniyi explained that the Customs Service had identified schools facing serious infrastructure challenges and was supporting selected institutions with renovations aimed at improving the learning environment.
He said the programme was being funded partly through contributions from Customs personnel, who had agreed to surrender a portion of their annual earnings towards the initiative.
“It was quite a sum that we have expended on the projects. I am happy that for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Nigeria Customs Service, every Customs Officer we have committed to donating a quarter of our yearly salary to these projects.
“Last year, our budget for CSR into this was in the region of N70 billion, and from there we are able to commit what we have done in this school. You are all products of one school or the other and you don’t want to get to your school and see the level of infrastructural decay we met in this school.
“It is a challenge for all of us, and we have to take that as a responsibility. It is practically impossible for the government to do it all alone. The budget they have for education will not support this kind of renovation. Like-minded people, Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs), charitable organisations, and foundations will have to prioritise education as it concerns infrastructure,” Adeniyi said.
Explaining why the Ile-Ife school was selected, Adeniyi said the institution had once been a major centre for girls’ education but had gradually deteriorated due to years of inadequate infrastructure.
He recalled the poor condition of the school before the intervention, particularly the laboratory.
“Practical example was when we entered the laboratory we pursued squirrels and snakes before we can gain access. This is because was the whole place was bushy.”
The Customs chief said the declining number of students was another concern that informed the decision to intervene.
“Female children are particularly more necessary to us because of their special needs. I grew up in this community and this used to be a thriving female secondary school. We have them in their thousands and we are beginning to see a gradual reduction in number of enrollment in this school and as at the time we check before our intervention it was something around 200.”
He noted that the school had existed for six decades and said restoring its facilities would help revive interest in girl-child education.
“This school is 60 years old we felt that we need to do this intervention so that girl-child education will be given the important place it deserves and I am happy that all other stakeholders are beginning to see that. This includes the old girls association, Osun State government and the Ooni of Ife.”
The school’s principal, Akinremi Iyabo, expressed appreciation to the Customs Service for the intervention and pledged that the renovated facilities would be maintained.
The Customs Service had previously introduced its “Customs Care” CSR programme, through which officers contribute part of their salaries to support community-focused projects.
The initiative is aimed at supporting areas such as education and improving public welfare through interventions that complement government efforts.
