The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun I Area Command, Idiroko, has organised a free eye care programme for its officers to promote personnel welfare and improve operational efficiency.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Chado Zakari, said the initiative was sponsored by the Acting Area Comptroller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, as part of efforts to prioritise the health and wellbeing of personnel.
The outreach, conducted in collaboration with VisionSpring, offered visual acuity screening, fundus examinations and free prescription glasses for officers with vision challenges.
Afeni said good eyesight was essential for effective border surveillance, enforcement operations and administrative duties, urging officers to undergo regular eye examinations to enhance their health, safety and job performance.
He noted that continuous exposure to harsh environmental conditions during border patrols made periodic eye checks necessary to prevent long-term visual impairment.
Also speaking, the Team Lead of the Safe-to-be-Safe (S2S) Preventive Eye Care Project, Dr Obioma Uchandu, said the initiative was aimed at eliminating preventable blindness among Customs personnel, especially officers serving at border posts.
Some beneficiaries described the programme as a morale booster that would improve their health and operational readiness.
