By Olubunmi ISOKPEHI, Lagos
The Premier Maritime Association in Nigeria, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents,ANLCA, has set up a Zonal task force Committee to expose corrupt practises going on in the Ports.
This information was made known by the Vice President of the Association, Dr. Kayode Farinto, during a chat with newsmen and inauguration of the task force Committee.
Farinto said, ” This issue of Zonal task force is long overdue, we may be coming late but we are going to meet up with whatever is on ground.”
He added, ” The task force is not composed to confront any government agencies but to solve the problems of our members.”
Chairman of the inauguration ceremony, Dr. John Ofobike, has said, ” The purpose of the Zonal task force is to mediate and report every irregularities to the appropriate quarters.”
Adding, “Most of the corrupt practises going on is not known by the management and we want to put a stop to it, because this act is killing our business and the masses end up paying for it which ends in hike in prices of goods.”
On excesses, Ofobike, said, ” We have road blocks everywhere, from Apapa Port to Area ‘B’ is less than few meters but there are two customs checkpoints mounted with their Hilux, causing serious traffic of movements of car and cargoes.”
He added, ” These checks often times and opening of containers on the road leads to criminals taking advantage and hijacking containers, we get these reports so many times; with the threat of taking you to Ikeja if you don’t play the ball as demanded.”
“This task force is to expose agents, corrupt officers and overzealous Security agencies and not an avenue to attacking anybody or be violent,” Ofobike, opined.
However, he urged members of the committee to do their work diligently without compromise, which is the essence of having a Zonal task force, in order to have checks and balances.
