Milton Ofobrukweta (Universal Shipping and Logistics)
People need to be aware and educated about what their rights are. There is need for every agency in the ports to be accessible to port users to freely lodge complaints or otherwise.
Corruption is more than just taking bribe, the system is meant to be working, for example when three plants are for use in a terminal and two went bad for no reason, the only one remaining will be thrown to pressure and it will aid corruption because in the process, every one wants to make use of the plant. We need to sanitize ourselves and agencies before we can talk of our ports being a corruption -free environment for all.
Finally, we should encourage what PIACSC are doing or constitute more of such agencies, and give the existing one encouragement by giving them reports and not been afraid of going to them.
Bolade Lawrence (Clearing Agent)
Proper orientation of all stakeholders, that is to say, people should know that corruption eats- up the economy and that it disturbs free flow of trade.
Discipline on the part of the security agencies in the ports, people saddled with the responsibility of ensuring free flow of trade in the ports should not be encouraged to take bribe by telling them what to do and paying them well enough.
Customs tariff should have human face; if Custom’s tariff is not high, the importers/agents will not be looking for short cuts during clearing process.
The shipping company or terminal operators should also work in accordance with their professional ethics. They should resist taking bribes before performing their official duties.
Yussuf Adekanmbi (Clearing Agent)
Due to the arrangement put in place by the Federal Government concerning the ports system, corruption can only be minimized to a level, because there is hardly a system without any loophole. Continuous orientation will help minimize the extent of corruption. Take a look at the introduction of the e-payment scheme, though it helped and when loopholes are being discovered by customs it was placed on hold and self assessment took over. The government can still do something to curb it , while we can also contribute our quota to make the ports corruption free.
Akanni Balogun (Clearing Agent)
The issue here is that all stakeholders involve should have the spirit of patriotism. Government should try as much as possible to review the harsh economy policies.
Nigeria is an import orientated economy where goods and raw materials come in, after the oil sector the port is the next venue to make money hence it tends to corrupt an individual.
Finally government should review policies and proffer punishment to defaulters, I recommend the jihad law not ICPC, EFCC or any other body can do it better.
Wole Onasanya (Clearing Agent)
Nigerian ports cannot be corruption- free because the port users, customs and other security agencies in the ports are not helping matters, we all are not following laid down rules that would make the ports a corruption free environment for all.
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.
Dipo Ogunlana (Clearing Agent)
The only way we can correct corruption in the port is by way of proper monitoring by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), because if you don’t give this people money they will delay our job, so if you say you want to be 100% non-corrupt in the port then your job will suffer, everybody in the system of the ports rely on cutting corners in one way or the other, they believe that their take- home pay at the end of the month will not sustain them, so the only solution is for proper monitoring by the EFCC and other agencies.
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.
Festus Ugwu (ANLCA, Apapa)
The corruption in our port system starts form the top to the bottom and of course we all know that whenever the head is cut off, the whole body will go down, so as long there is still corruption at the top, we can not bring it to an end at the bottom because it flows from the top to down. As long as the government hierarchy are corrupt, it will trickle down.
The only solution is for us all to check ourselves as leaders; those in the different government agencies like the Nigerian Customs and others should ensure truthfulness in all their activities so also, agent must eradicate any under dealings.
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