Olorogun A.I Ugwi (Intelligence Officer, ANLCA)
From intelligent perspective, I can tell you that corruption in the ports starts from the Presidency. If for instance, we have theft matters inside the ports how is it possible for documentation to be complete, shipping document and custom documents are encircled and the goods leave the port, how is the theft possible without the participation of the government officials, the government officials are involved but at the end of it all they will hold one dirty agent that has no license or name and use him to stain the rest of the agents.
If we want to talk about corruption, government itself has to purge itself and its officers of this cankerworm. Posting to Tin Can or any port is no longer on merit, but it is now based on knowing who is there, an officer who is posted to the port and given a target of N2 million monthly will want to make his own money and also make N2million for the person who posted him there, how do you want to stop corruption without removing these things. Let posting be free by allowing those who know the job come to the port.
Sunday Eleri (Clearing agent)
As they say, it takes two to tangle, before any act of corruption is committed in the port, the different agencies at the port are party to it, and this is where we need to start from, reducing the level of human contact at the port because these are what can make an agent to get involved in under- hand dealings. Before you get your goods out of the port, you will go through many unnecessary desks all in a bid to exploit; government should reduce the level of human contact at the port as well as the agencies at the port.
Now they are increasing tariff, clearing a bus will now be at N150,000, are we reducing corruption or increasing it, because no sane importer will want to pay N150,000 for a bus, he will beg for an agent who can do it for lesser price thereby forcing the agent to go and do ‘M.O’ and to look for custom officers who will run it inside and pass it out, government will be losing and the individuals will be gaining.
Dr Boniface Aniebunam, (NAGAFF founder)
Are you not tired of talking about corruption in our ports? I think we should be tired of that now because there are machineries set in place by the government to eradicate corruptions in the country. I think that is also applicable to the ports and every sector of the economy. I have always said that the most prominent issue of corruption has to do with the giver and the taker. But if we continue with the giver and taker being held responsible we will not go anywhere. I believe strongly in that. So we need to fashion our law to suit the environment. The people in government should particularly be held responsible because they are in the custodian of oath to serve the country in deferent capacity. They are not expected to connive with anybody to defraud the country by any means.
Tunji Obagbo (POTMAN)
The problem is from the port itself. People who are working very hard are not being paid very well.
The way out is to employ the professionals by putting round pegs in round holes, employ them and pay them according to their professionalism, we should stop looking for half baked staff, because they can only work as half baked, but if we have professionals, then pay them well.
Hon Kingsley Chikezie
Secretary General, Importers Association of Nigeria
Corruption can only by minimized in the ports because it has eaten deep into the fabric of many people who are doing businesses there. It has always being a top priority of the importers that corruption should be wiped out completely not only in the ports but all over the country. A situation for instance where somebody has paid all the expected duties and those in charge of releasing his cargoes are still expecting tips is abnormal. You will realize that, at the end, it is the final consumer that will bear the brunt because the importer has to recoup his money. The governments has put in place some agents at the ports to check these anomalies but are they doing the right thing, is they representing the government properly, are they protecting the people whose tax are being used to pay their salaries?.
Prince Deola Ganny (KLT ANCLA ,PRO)
My brother, it takes two to tango. If there is no receiver, there won’t be giver. Again you must realize that some people laid the foundation for corruption to thrive at the ports. I’m particularly appealing to the Customs authority to check some of their officers and men. We cannot afford to continue this way. And I thank God that we now have elected responsible people to pilot the affairs of the Association of Nigeria Customs Licensed Agents. I can assure you that the leadership of ANCLA will be on the necks of those who are expected to stop corruptions at the ports and we will have good result. We will fight corruption at the ports because it is affecting our businesses negatively. The Nigeria press has also being trying to expose those who are giving the ports bad image. It is a collective responsibility. All of should be up and doing in this direction.
Mazi Joseph Anabaraonye (Registrar, FFAN)
From my point of view as a professional trainer, I believe that the best way to cub corruption in the port is through education, enlightening people, teach and let them know their rights because most of the causes of corruption is as a result of illiteracy, when people are not knowledgeable about their rights, they will always want to play some fast games and other people will take advantage of their ignorance to take money and extort them. If we educate the people and they know their rights, they will know the function of each of the agencies in the ports and this will go a long way to reduce corruption in the ports to the barest minimum.
Government should try and take care of their officers by giving them good pay so that they will stop looking for free money here and there, though there are some of them that have corruption in their blood and no matter how much they are paid, they will still want to look out.
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