Ports Task Team Gets N180m to Fight Corruption at Ports
SAMBO
The sum of N180 million has been approved for the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) to combat corruption at the nation’s seaports.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani disclosed this on Wednesday on the occasion of the 3rd round table discussion on Maritime Sector Reforms: “Consolidating The Gains,” organised by the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) and Convention on Business Integrity (CBI).
Ajani said the federal government has directed the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to make funds available.
The agencies are also to provide operational vehicles for the use of the Port Standing Task Team.
The Permanent Secretary who was represented by Babatunde Sule said each of the agencies is to provide N60million.
She said, “The Federal Ministry of Transportation through the NSC, the Technical Unit on Government and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in collaboration with the MACN and CBI, Nigeria have built maritime sector is poised to augment its standing by further institutionalizing and continuously sustain its reforms.”
The National Coordinator of PSTT, Moses Fadipe told newsmen that the PSTT is yet to receive the approved from both NIMASA and NPA.
Fadipe disclosed that the efforts of the Task Force Team have led to a reduction in inefficiencies and corruption, and there has been a positive impact on the economy..
According to him, “Strict monitoring and enforcement of joint boarding of vessels procedure, transparency in monitoring, strict monitoring of joint cargo examinations, and the dismantling of illegal checkpoints and extortion points have all contributed to the improvement of the sector.”
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