Poised to address the numerous complaints bordering of corruption at the nation’s seaports, the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in conjunction with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission (ICPC)have organized a corruption and transparency walk show.
The walkshow which had its theme as; “Shun Corruption and Uplift Nigerian Ports ", took-off from the Shippers Council head office on Ounba Ayodele Soyode Lane to the gate of Apapa port.
Speaking on the sideline of the walk show, the Chairman of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Anti-Corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit, Mr. Samuel Vongtau, told Shipping Position Daily that the people who have businesses to do in the ports have been complaining of corrupt practices going on at the ports.
He said some of the cases are actually not corruption cases, but arising as a result of lack of education about processes and procedures.
He acknowledged that “there have been complaints against the port sector; that the place is filled with corruption and there are also complaints from truckers and other people. People who work in the port and people who have businesses to do in the port have been complaining about corruption in the ports"
Vongtau, said that certain things are done in the port in such a way that the ports become ineffective, adding that the council also intend to institute transparency in the port.
"Some of them are not actually corruption, but because of lack of education about processes and procedures. Certain things are done in such a way that renders the port ineffective and therefore we want to institute transparency in processes and procedures at the ports", he said.
Explaining further, he said that the council is desirous of instituting a corruption-free ports system in Nigeria, stressing that the menace makes the nation's port expensive.
"We want to institute a corruption-free port and make our ports effective, user- friendly and cost effective"
Vongtau however maintained that when the ports are corrupt-free, it will go a long way in making business easier at the ports.
"So we feel we should come out and let the people that are working here and the people that have businesses doing in the port to know that it pays to be transparent and be corruption-free. You know when the port is corruption-free, it pays them a lot, it makes their businesses easier", he said
He disclosed that the council has concluded plans to make the walk show and annual event.
"If any agency is found to be corrupt, this agency will be sent to ICPC and the ICPC has the right to prosecute. This monitoring unit only educates and reports; if we hear of any corrupt story we will only investigate and if we find anyone guilty we will report to ICPC who will prosecute the person" he explained..
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