Cameroon Customs Officers urged to shun corruption

Minette Libom Li Likeng

Some officials of the Directorate General of Customs have been urged to stay clear of corrupt activities and cultivate values that will positively influence the society.

The Director General of Customs, Minette Libom Li Likeng made the call at the CAF football training center in the outskirts of Mbankomo near Yaounde on Monday July 22 as she chaired the opening ceremony of an international seminar on ethics and governance in the customs sector.

Organized by the Committee for the Enhancement of Ethics and Governance at Customs in partnership with Pointman Leadership Institute and Advocates International, the three days workshop aims at reinforcing their knowledge on ethics and governance principles that will help customs officers carry out their duties well.

Speaking in the presence of the Divisional Officer of Mbankomo, representatives of Pointman Leadership Institute (PLI), Advocates International and the president of the Committee for the Enhancement of Ethics and Governance at Customs, the Director General of Customs rejoiced that the Directorate General of Customs is privileged to be the first institution in Cameroon to be benefitting from such a high level seminar on ethics and governance, organized by two renowned institutions.

According to Henri Minder of PLI, they have carried of same training in more than sixty countries in the world.

For three days, the customs officers will listen to presentations and take part in workshops on individual and professional ethics and good governance practices which according Minette Libom Li Likeng is at the center activities of the customs department.

Since 2007, the customs department started a series of activities aimed at bringing reforms that will enhance ethics and governance and the Mbankomo seminar comes to consolidate the efforts already deployed in the domain of governance by the Directorate General of Customs.

One of the workshop facilitators, Quintus Smit from PLI told reporters that they have come to Cameroon not to teach but to encourage and correct them.

The Committee for the Enhancement of Ethics and Governance at Customs was created by the Minister of Finance in 2009 with aim of enhancing ethics and governance in the customs sector.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi