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Customs Cares In Action: Adeniyi Commissions Rehabilitated Ebubu Health Centre To Bring Healthcare Closer To Eleme People
By Prince Benson Davies
Residents of Ebubu community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State now have renewed access to quality primary healthcare following the rehabilitation and commissioning of the Ebubu Primary Healthcare Centre by the Nigeria Customs Service.
The facility, which had deteriorated over the years and struggled to serve the healthcare needs of the community, was fully upgraded under the Customs Cares initiative, the Corporate Social Responsibility programme of the Service.
The commissioning which took place on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, attracted traditional rulers, community leaders, government officials, health workers and senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.
In his address, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the project is a demonstration that the Service is not only concerned about revenue generation and securing the nation’s borders but also about improving the lives of people in communities where it operates.
He said the Customs Cares programme was officially launched in March 2025 to institutionalize community support as a core part of the Service’s operations. According to him, the programme has since intervened in critical areas of need across the country, including school renovation, scholarship awards, free medical outreaches, healthcare facility rehabilitation, food distribution, agricultural empowerment, skills acquisition programmes, provision of solar-powered lighting and construction of boreholes.
The Comptroller-General explained that the decision to rehabilitate the Ebubu centre was informed by the importance of primary healthcare to community development. He said when primary healthcare fails, productivity, dignity and overall wellbeing of the people are affected. He noted that before the intervention, the poor condition of the centre made it difficult for health workers to deliver efficient services to the people.
He described the completed project as more than just building renovation, saying it represents an investment in access to healthcare, restoration of dignity and renewal of hope for the people of Ebubu and its environs.
Adeniyi however pointed out that the rehabilitation is only the first step, and that the sustainability of the facility will require collective responsibility. He called on the Rivers State Government, the Rivers State Primary Health Care Board, Eleme Local Government Council and the host community to ensure adequate staffing, proper maintenance and protection of the facility.
He thanked all stakeholders who contributed to the success of the project, including traditional institutions, community leaders, state and local government authorities, health professionals and officers of the Service.
Speaking at the event, the Customs Area Controller, Port Harcourt II Area Command, Onne, Comptroller Aliyu Alkali, said the impact of the Nigeria Customs Service should be measured not only in terms of revenue collected or seizures made but also by the tangible difference it makes in host communities.
On her part, the Comptroller in charge of the Corporate Social Responsibility Unit, Comptroller Patience Ibrahim, said the Ebubu intervention aligns with the Service’s philosophy that its duty to Nigerians goes beyond statutory functions and includes making meaningful contributions to community development.
Community leaders and health officials who spoke at the ceremony commended the Nigeria Customs Service for the gesture, noting that the upgraded centre will reduce the stress of travelling long distances to access medical care. They assured that the community will take ownership of the facility and work with relevant authorities to ensure it remains functional and serves present and future generations.
