Adeniyi says intervention goes beyond infrastructure, calls for community ownership and sustained maintenance

By Chioma Vivian James

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commissioned the rehabilitated Ebubu Primary Healthcare Centre in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, reinforcing its commitment to improving community welfare through its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Customs Cares.

The facility was commissioned on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, who described the intervention as part of the Service’s broader efforts to contribute to the development and wellbeing of communities where it operates.

While emphasising that revenue collection, trade facilitation and border security remain the statutory mandates of the NCS, Adeniyi said the Service also recognises its responsibility to support social development and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.

He said the rehabilitation of the Ebubu Primary Healthcare Centre was particularly significant because access to functional primary healthcare is essential to human dignity, productivity and sustainable community development.

According to him, the condition of the facility before the intervention had hindered the effective delivery of basic healthcare services to residents of Ebubu and surrounding communities.

> “What we have achieved here is therefore more than physical rehabilitation. We have invested in access, dignity and hope,” the Comptroller-General said.

Adeniyi recalled that the NCS formally launched Customs Cares in March 2025 as a structured platform for delivering community-focused interventions across the country.

He said the initiative had extended to several areas, including school renovations, scholarships, medical outreaches, healthcare facility rehabilitation, food distribution, agricultural initiatives, skills acquisition, solar-powered lighting, borehole projects and other community infrastructure.

The Comptroller-General, however, stressed that the commissioning of the rehabilitated health centre was only one part of the responsibility required to ensure its long-term impact.

He called for adequate staffing, regular maintenance and sustained support from relevant government institutions and the host community, urging stakeholders to ensure that the facility remains functional and capable of meeting the healthcare needs of residents.

Adeniyi also expressed appreciation to traditional rulers, community leaders, the Rivers State Government, the Rivers State Primary Health Care Board, Eleme Local Government Council, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders whose contributions supported the completion of the project.

Beyond Revenue Collection

Speaking at the commissioning, the Customs Area Controller, Port Harcourt II Area Command, Onne, Comptroller Aliyu Alkali, said the impact of the Nigeria Customs Service should not be assessed solely through revenue generated or enforcement activities.

He noted that the positive difference made by the Service in communities where it operates should equally form an important part of measuring its contribution to national development.

According to Alkali, the rehabilitation of the Ebubu Primary Healthcare Centre demonstrated how Customs could complement its statutory responsibilities with interventions that directly affect the lives of Nigerians.

Also speaking, the Comptroller in charge of the Corporate Social Responsibility Unit, Comptroller Patience Ibrahim, said Customs Cares was anchored on the belief that the responsibility of the NCS to Nigerians extends beyond revenue collection.

She explained that the initiative was designed to enable the Service to identify and respond to specific social and developmental needs within communities.

A Community Asset

The commissioning attracted government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders, who welcomed the rehabilitation of the health centre.

Stakeholders noted that the upgraded facility would bring primary healthcare services closer to residents of Ebubu and neighbouring communities and could help improve access to essential medical services.

They also called on residents to take ownership of the facility by protecting its infrastructure, supporting routine maintenance and working with relevant authorities to keep it functional.

The intervention underscores the growing role of community-focused partnerships in strengthening grassroots development. For residents of Ebubu, the rehabilitated healthcare centre represents not only an upgraded physical facility but also renewed access to essential primary healthcare.

For the Nigeria Customs Service, the project adds another chapter to the Customs Cares initiative, through which the Service continues to combine its statutory responsibilities with targeted interventions aimed at supporting communities across Nigeria.