By Uzor Odigbo
In line with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS), the Nigeria Customs Service said it distributed relief materials to 134 less privileged homes in the south west region of the country.
The service also disclosed that a cumulative number of 7,350 orphans in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states benefited from the exercise.
Chairman of the Sub Committee on the Distribution of Relief Items to Orphanages in Zone A Yakubu Salihu in a statement, said great impact has been made in the lives of orphans in the last three weeks , in line with the federal government intention to alleviate the suffering of the less privilege citizens.
The chairman noted that the exercise will move to zone B and C ,in furtherance to distribute relief items to orphanages.
Salihu said after the inauguration ,the committee swung into action by identifying and verifying all Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and orphanages in all the states and the federal capital territory.
“The sub-committee under my leadership kick started this important assignment in Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos on Tuesday 12 February 2019.
According to him, items so far distributed in the zone include 32,576 bags of rice,1,794 kegs of 25 litres each of vegetable oil,329 bales of used clothes and 24 loosed bags.
Others are 47 bags of sugar,2,675 pairs of used shoes,98 cartons of tomatoes paste,6 cartons of seasoning,13 cartons of soaps and detergents and 11 foreign flour .
While identifying some of the institutions such items were distributed in Ogun state recently, the Comptroller mentioned; Little saints,Raco child,Vigilant Heart,Jesus kids,Stella Obansanjo Children Home among others.
He added that:” In carrying this assignment, we are strictly guided by the directive to ensure that these items are given to only registered and recognised homes.
“The allocated items are escorted with landing certificates which must be signed by operators of the homes upon receipt of the items. This is to ensure that all allocated items get to intended recipients.
“Apart from being official assignment, we see this exercise as being spiritually rewarding and appreciate the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali(Rtd) for considering us worthy of carrying out activities that positively impact on the lives of orphans.
“As noble as the intention of Federal Government is, we have discovered that some unpatriotic elements are trying to cash on this exercise by going to orphanages pretending to be working for the service, collecting documents, supposedly for the committee.
“The obvious criminal intention to either extort money or some of the items for “facilitating” the allocation is not lost on us.
“Already two people ( a man and woman) impersonating the committee have been arrested and detained at Seme border.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the service has not permitted any person or organization to contact orphanages, IDPs or indeed any vulnerable group on belief of the committee.
” We have our own way of identifying and verifying such homes or groups that qualify for the ongoing distribution.
“As the sub-committee moves to Zone B, Kaduna and other north western states of the country in this ongoing distribution, we are determined to ensure that those that fall within our mandate get these items in a transparent manner,” he said