The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has sent a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over what it called the “inefficiencies of Webb Fontaine that has led to consistent server failures at the nation’s seaports”.
National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, disclosed this in Lagos yesterday when he visited the PTML Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). He lamented that the Customs server at the command has broken down for almost a week without a solution in sight. The server was built and is being operated on behalf of the NCS by Webb Fontaine.
Shittu however said that his association also plans to meet with the service provider to discuss ways of resolving critical operational matters at the port.
Also speaking on the server breakdown, ANLCA PTML Chapter Chairman, Bola Adesokan said the server breakdown has affected clearing operations with his members accumulating huge demurrage on their consignments. Adesokan said the server problem had persisted since last week “with no sign of it getting better”.
He said, “The server has broken down since last week and since it was not a Customs problem we decided to report to the President so that he can take it up with the Federal Government. The Federal Ministry of Finance gave the contract to Webb Fontaine and if they are not doing well, they know what to do.
“As a person, if I give a job to someone and he didn’t do it very well, I will withdraw it and give it to someone that is competent to do. I don’t know what the Federal Government is still doing with Web fortane after many failures.”
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