Dikko Abdullahi, the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, bowed out in style as he performed his last official function by inaugurating a three-storey state-of-the-art hospital facility.
It is one of the lasting legacies Abdullahi left behind in Customs where he worked for 27 years
Abdullahi bowed out of service after six years in the saddle as CG, leaving a legacy for the people of Karu, a densely populated, but largely underdeveloped part of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
As a fitting climax to his 27-year career at the Customs, he unveiled a three-story imposing hospital built by the Nigeria Customs Service to improve the welfare of its staff and Nigerians living around the area on Tuesday.
Nanman Nandap, the Medical Director of the NCS Hospital, Karu, described the hospital as a comprehensive medical facility equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and well-trained staff.
He listed some of the features of the hospital as modern radio-diagnostic and ultrasound equipments, three modular theatres and an intensive care unit with a central gas supply system.
It also has executive wards and a mortuary.
Nasir El-Rufai, the Kaduna State Governor, lauded the management skill of Abdullahi, especially his commitment to the welfare of staff.
El-Rufai expressed mixed feelings on his retirement and described him as “a fine public servant”/
The outgoing Custom’s boss described the new edifice as a consolidation of his welfare programme through the delivery of quality health care services to officers and their families.
He said: “This complex will not only cater for the need of Customs officers and their families. The entire Karu community will benefit from its services and reach. From the level of sophistication of our equipment and the quality of our personnel, this facility will also serve as a reference hospital for the entire FCT community.”
It should be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari accepted Abdullahi’s voluntary resignation as CG of the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from August 18.