Our Service Delivery is Impeded By Corruption, Says NSC Boss
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), has condemned corruption practices in the country and said it will offer greater quality services if corruption is eliminated.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr. Emmanuel Jime, says corruption is one of the challenges limiting the progress of the Maritime sector in Nigeria.
Jime disclosed this at the meeting with the Technical Unit on Governance & Anti- Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), headed by Joan Onwulere.
He says ”Let us also be aware that there is still several ways to go, there is a lot of work left to be done and ensuring sanity of the maritime industry.
”What we do at the NSC, because of the important role we play of regulating the commercial sector of the maritime domain, there is no way we will deliver on quality services if those services are mitigated by the incidences of corruption.
”We are together in this and it is a battle that I believe is winnable, but we have to carry on with this work to its logical ends.
”By way of funding, by way of provision of equipment to the best of our ability that we have been able to do till now, we can only continue to do and do even more,”.
Jime added that on implementation of Nigeria Port Process Manual (NPPM), the executive secretary said one of its challenges was that the NSC was the only agency bearing its burden.
”I regret to say that the greatest challenge perhaps you may face going forward is that the shippers council appears to have been bearing the burden of the implementation of the port process manual single handedly.
”This is supposed to be inter-agency platform, and so we can use this platform to appeal to all of the other agencies of government that are partners to what we do to also join shippers council in assisting.
”So that we do not have the kind of challenge on funding that we are having in this present time”.
Also Read: Digitalisation, Civic Technology As Tools For Combating Corruption, by Inyene Ibanga
With adequate support and end to corruption, NSC achievement in maritime will be a milestone and contribute more to the Nigeria economy.
TUGAR which comprises of the Ministries of Transport and Finance, NPA, NCS, NIS, NIMASA, NDLEA, CRFFN, ICPC and BPP has been on the struggle to tackle corruption in the country and has achieved a landmark.
In addition, more efforts must be made by all parties to guarantee that quality service is provided without corruption interfering.
