Report on the Nigerian ports sector released by a coalition of anti- corruption agencies has indicated that the problem of security in the nation’s ports is strongly connected to the issue of corruption.
Head, Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-corruption Reforms, TUGAR, Mrs. Lilian Ekeanyanwu, who gave the presentation of the findings in Abuja yesterday, said the current report was a result of a six months project, carried out by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission, ICPC, and was supported by UNDP and the Maritime Anticorruption Network.
Ekeanyanwu, said the report also identified weak internal ethics infrastructure as major problems in the ports, noting that lack of codes of conduct, weak enforcement, and absence of mechanism for investigating complaints also create avoidable delay. “The problem of security in the ports is strongly connected to the issue of corruption.
The findings show that insecurity in the ports leads to further reduction of the available port resources: working time is often limited daylight hours; additional unpredictability and insecurity and uncertainty easily may lead to attempt to ‘purchase’ security by paying a bribe or otherwise corrupting the Port Administration”
The report which also noted increased pressure on some facilities poses corruption risks, recommends proper clarification of port agencies’ procedures and the strengthening of their coordination to reduce the regulator burden on clients and limit the demand for bribes, adding that that port agency staff enjoy wide range of discretionary powers to the detriment of fast processing of documents without consequences.
Speaking during the occasion, the Chairman of ICPC, Ekpo Nta said the CRA is a corruption prevention tool which is applied in collaboration with organizations’ management to identify vulnerable areas that are prone to corruption and develop integrity plans that would strengthen accountability and transparency in the ports sector. According to ICPC boss, CRA is a major function of the ICPC
CULLED FROM NIGERIA MIRROR
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