Even as the 2019 general elections draw near, the Nigeria Customs Service has assured that scanning machines would be deployed to the ports to check importation of dangerous cargoes.
While addressing executives of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos yesterday, Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Command of Nigeria Customs Service, Compt Musa Baba Abdullahi said that the service is working assiduously to ensure that the scanners are up and running to check influx of dangerous cargoes.
The Controller also opined that one of the major factors responsible for the influx of foreigners into business of freight forwarding is bad managerial skills of Nigerians.
He said "with regards to the 2019 elections, the service is trying to commission the scanners, some of the scanners are not there now but the service is working seriously to ensure the scanners are in place.
"As soon the scanners have been put in place, we are sure of 100 percent cargo examination through the scanners, at least, we would be sure of what is coming, compared to the physical examination that is there now, sometimes, human element can come in, sometimes you might forget certain things, which might end up being a serious issue"
Speaking on the involvement of foreigners in the business of cargo clearance at Nigerian ports, Musa said that foreigners have taken over the clearing and forwarding jobs because most Nigerians are bad managers.
He said that there should be a law which would specifically spell it out that certain jobs should be reserved for Nigerians especially areas where we have capacity.
"Our people prefer foreigners than Nigerians, we need to ask ourselves why it is so, many of the bike riders are from Chad, Niger etc, while those doing tiling are from Togo and Cotonou"
"We also as Nigerians have to change our attitude, sincerely we are not good managers, you can carry out an independent analysis of certain sectors, take note of the businesses, we work more if we are controlled by foreigners"
"If you give Nigerians companies, they run it aground, but if you bring in an expatriate from outside, they work hard, for every seven days, you would find a Nigerian being engaged unofficially in some family issues and extended family issues, but for the expatriates who is in this country for the that job, he can forget about these things and focus on his job for thirty days"
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