EID EL FITRI : ANCB SENDS GREETINGS TO MUSLIM FAITHFULS
* Harps on the need for Maritime industry’s revitalization
By Mcanthony Onuoha
Association of Nigeria Customs Brokers -ANCB, has sent warm greetings to Muslim Faithfuls as they celebrate this year’s Eid el Fitri.
In a press release signed by its National President, Dr. Basil Nwolisa, and made available to the Prestige Blended Magazine Online on Tuesday, the Association congratulated Muslims on a peaceful Eid el Fitri celebration urging them to always preach and champion National peace and unity as that’s the only way the nation can be repositioned for greater glory.
Also in the statement, the Association renewed its call for the revitalization of the Maritime industry urging the federal government to upgrade existing infrastructures in the port industry for Ease of doing business.
Part of the statement berated the high level of impunity by Shipping Companies and terminal operators, saying that countries across the globe are leveraging on technology to set up transparent and acceptable systems of service provision thereby shielding both investors and Service providers from losing their investments as well as plugging holes for tax and other revenue leakage.
On port congestion, the association wondered why the Nigerian Shipper’s Council and the Nigerian Ports Authority continue to look the other way while the Nigerian Ports are turned into dumping sites for empty containers by Shipping Companies. The statement, as contained in the press release reads in part, “we are totally aghast by the inability of government agencies to take full responsibility and clean up the system for Ease of doing business. Why would the agencies tolerate high level of economic sabotage being perpetrated by Shipping Companies without putting lasting measures in place to checkmate them. If the agencies sincerely wanted to be alive to their statutory responsibilities, the issue of turning this country into a dumping ground for empty boxes would have since been a thing of the past. Apart from the Port environment, at hundreds of other sites lie empty containers abandoned by Shipping Companies a couple of years ago till date and no plan is on the way to evacuate them. But once government agencies begin to gazette these containers at different locations and subsequently slamming heavy penalties on their owners, believe you me, none of them will allow empty boxes to exceed their dwell time without ferrying them back to their countries of origin”.
“Government Agencies really need to buckle up, we are talking of the high level of corruption in government establishments and day by day the story gets worse because the system has continued to permit all sorts of circumventions and manipulations, public servants and political appointees seize every given opportunity to loot and pillage as it is obvious that the system allows for corruption to thrive.”
The Association went further to urge freight forwarders to shun all manner of shenanigans and dirty indulgence that could defame their characters and result in shame in the long run, advising them to always go about their businesses professionally and with fear of God.
