Shippers Council: PSSP, SOP Has Reduced Corruption at Nigerian Ports

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The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr Hassan Bello has said that the Port Service Support Portal (PSSP) and the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) created by the Federal Government and supervised by the Council has drastically reduced corruption in Nigeria port system.

Bello stated this on Wednesday at an engagement with freight forwarders on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on cargo clearance at the port.

Represented by the Zonal Coordinator, South South of the Council, Mr. Ogor Izah, the Shippers Council boss recalled that prior to 2016, the port industry was bedevilled with corrupt practices which made Nigeria to rank low in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of Transparency International.

According to him, the current administration had in 2016, launched the Port Support Service Portal (PSSP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in order to improve on operations, service timelines, efficiency and accountability in the port sector.

The Council as the Port Economic Regulator, Bello said, was to establish an enabling environment for all stakeholders by instituting an efficient and effective economic regulatory system in the transport sector .

His words, “The SOP spelt quite clearly WHO, WHAT, HOW and WHEN are responsibilities discharged to the public, corporate or statutory mandate while in recent time, the Vice President, Prof.
Yemi Osinbajo launched the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM) to promote transparency to eliminate bottlenecks and illegalities”

Also speaking at the sensitization programme, Anti Corruption Advisor for CBI, Mr. Babatunde Oluajo noted that the Nigerian Shippers’Council has added value to port operations as an economic regulator.

He added that corruption at the port has reduced by 25% in the last four years, pointing out that the engagement with freight agents was set up to further sensitise them on the SOP.

He observed that both the shipping aspects of the industry has recorded tremendous drop in corrupt practices.

The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) has however called on stakeholders to establish standard for interaction of private participation with public officials on verifiable and comprehensive discourse.

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