NPPM: We Shall Expose Corrupt Elements Demanding Bribe at Ports, Warns Bello
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello on Tuesday threatened to expose corrupt officials of government security agencies demanding bribe to carry out their functions at the nation’s seaports.
Bello said such attitude was affecting negatively the joint boarding of vessels at the seaports.
Speaking during a virtual joint press briefing held with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja, the NSC boss condemned the action of those who demand bribe before carrying out their duly assigned duties at the ports.
He said that as the lead agency implementing the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM), the sum of $20,000 bribe was recovered from boarding officials at the Lagos port.
He said, “We have recovered $20,000 being bribe money by people who go onboard vessels. We are monitoring this process and if we find any agency frustrating this process, we are going to name and shame them publicly and we will arrest them.”
Bello however maintained that a lot of progress has been made as far as compliance with the ports process manual was concerned.
According to him, many agencies have been complying with the NPPM, but added that some were yet to fully comply with the new standard operating procedures (SOPs).
He said it was wrong that some vessels calling at the ports wait for three hours before being attended to, adding that this was not acceptable.
He said this attitude affects the cargo dwell time and the cost of doing business in the nation’s ports.
He appealed to the Nigerian Customs Service and other agencies to support the joint inspection to work at the ports
Bello said, “Seven days cargo dwell time can be achieved if we have joint boarding of vessels and joint inspection of cargo. Twenty-one days cargo dwell time is because there is no joint examination.
“What kind of country or port do we want if agencies responsible for joint examination don’t report on time? Examination of cargo should be done at a given time and people should abide by the SOP as far as clearance of cargo is concerned”
The Public Relations Officer of f ICPC, Azuka Ogugua, said the agency will sanction government agency or personnel that have failed to comply with the procedure for joint inspection of vesels at the ports.
Ogugua who represented the Chairman of the Commission during the briefing said part of the mandate the agency as a law enforcement agency was to tackle corruption.
She said, “We have a standing task team at the Lagos port that will enforce action provided by the NSC.”
FOLLOW US
About Post Author
