Bello: Automation Will End Corruption in Maritime Sector
Automation is one of the strongest ways to end corruption in the nation’s maritime industry, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr. Hassan Bello, has said.
Bello who spoke during a panel discussion on anti- corruption in the nation’s maritime sector organised by the Council in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently said automation was the only thing that can check human contact which is the reason for corruption.
According to him, regular human contact breeds a lot of corruption as well as leads to the long dwell time for cargo at the nation’s ports.
He disclosed that physical examination of goods at the ports has affected cargo dwell time to 22 days as against what is the situation in Nigeria’s neighbouring ports.
Bello said, “One of the things to get rid of corruption is deployment of technology. So, for me, automation is the key. For example, it takes six minutes to scan a container but it takes six hours for physical examination or manual examination of container. Which one should we choose? That is the difference between darkness and light. Cargo dwell time now takes 22 days at the port. The moment we automate our processes, it will ease all processes in the port and reduce human contact.
“I remember six years ago, I took some members of board of directors of Shippers’ Council to the port of Singapore, and when we were going round, nobody knew we were at the port and when we came back, some board members ask me, when are we going to the port? Which means they never knew it was the port we went to because there was actually nobody there.
“We need to automate our processes. We want short stay of cargo at the port. Five days average cargo dwell time. We want the port to operate 24 hours. When you go to the airport, it never sleeps, so why don’t we have that at the ports? By weekend, the ports shut. Nobody goes there, the Customs will not go, agents and even the shipping companies will not operate and that is what is wrong.
“We want to work and partner with the EFCC for risk assessment, it is important. But we have to set target. All of us must work together. Synergy is needed, we need to sit down and think about how we can salvage the industry because it is the industry that drives the economy. If we get the maritime industry right, then, we will go and shut the oil wells because the industry will finance the budget of this country over and over again. Even the oil and gas industry cannot operate without the maritime industry.
The Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Mr Muda Yusuf who moderated the panel discussion was full of commendation for NSC for collaborating with the EFCC to fight corruption at the ports.
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