The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) says the prevalence of accusations and counter accusations between the ports users and the operators in our international trade entry points over trade facilitation and corruption shall continue endlessly as long as port users refuse to be compliant to regulations; and government agencies refuse to enforce the laws but rather prefer to connive with the trading public to cheat the same government they pledged to serve, respect and protect.
In a press release it issued on Friday, NAGAFF raised the alarm of a possible system breakdown at the nation’s international entry points, except “we enforce the laws and regulations governing our international trade, the idea of change shall remain a mirage”.
“Facts emerging from the survey conducted by a team of experts in NAGAFF to find out the culprits on matters of corruption in the ports management and administration, showed that for every 10 persons associated with port activities, eight of them blamed government agencies’ representatives for corruption in our ports while the others blamed both parties whereas some want to remain neutral, not blaming any of the two parties.
“At the moment, the anti-corruption war in the country over time has recorded well over 95% of culprits as public servants which is shameful. We regret to state that the war against corruption in Nigeria may not record appreciable success if government refuses to apply the Georgian example of reforms whereby the country may start afresh to recruit agents and operatives of the government with a fresh idea and training skills.
“Such officers and operatives must be made to understand the basics, principles, characteristics and essence of patriotism in nation building. Under general remarks, the experts of NAGAFF who undertook the survey explained that corruption in Nigeria is borne out of greed, lack of patriotism, disrespect for rule of law, failure in the enforcement of relevant laws and lack of fear of God.
“The group concluded that accusations and counter accusations will not solve the perennial problem of corruption in Nigeria. The solution is easily obtained through good governance and obedience to regulations and laws of the state of Nigeria,” NAGAFF said in the statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Stanley Ezenga.
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