ICPC to Enforce Implementation of Ports’ Manual

By Kingsley Nwezeh

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC) yesterday vowed to enforce the implementation of the Nigerian Ports Process Manual (NPPM).

It said it would enforce the law by arresting and prosecuting violators of the process manual.

This comes as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello, said 4,000 containers were trapped in the terminals owing to lack of digitisation of the port operations and corruption which impacted negatively on the nation’s economy.

Speaking yesterday at a joint media briefing by the ICPC and Shippers’ Council in Abuja, Chairman of the commission, Prof. Bolaji Owasanonye, said the ICPC was committed to enforcing the Nigerian Ports Process Manual in collaboration with stakeholder agencies and other security agencies.

“This whole process started with the ICPC. We have a robust anti-corruption mandate which calls for study of and review of system with a view identifying loopholes when they are detected and when they detected and closed then corruption will have less chances of taking place.

“The manual explains in a very simplified way, step by step way of what you expect to see at the ports. It is a document worth studying and worth keeping for any Nigerian interested in importing anything outside the country”, he said.

Owasanoye, who was represented by Head, Public Enlightenment, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, said: “we are still interested in making sure that this is complied with. We have said several times it is not enough to have a manual, we need to implement it. Implementing it will boost our economy. It will lead to leakages being closed so that we can boost our economy by attracting investment into the country.

“We are working with the shippers’ council, ports authority and the DSS to fully enforce and ensure that anybody that does not follow these processes as laid down will be subjected to the full process of the law. We will take any step to ensure that the process is not violated”, she said.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Shippers’ Council, Bello, said 4,000 containers were trapped in the ports owing to the the lack of adherence to the electronic transaction and the ports process manual.

“Over 4,000 containers are trapped in the terminals making the ports to lose revenue and the economy to bleed.

“Once you reduce that by implementing the ports manual corruption will disappear”, he said.