- PSTT officials carted away with samples after examination
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) 100% Compliance Team has commended the termination of the activities of the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) at Nigerian seaports.
Recall that in the last quarter of 2023, the PSTT was established by the office of the Vice- President, Prof. Yemi Osibajo to oversee activities at the seaports, comprising various agencies at ports and security agencies.
In a statement issued by the National Coordinator of Compliance Team, Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim, the group asserted that PSTT replicated the same corrupt operations in Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports.
Noting that the port industry is already overburdened by the large numbers of government agencies at the ports, Tanko argued that foisting another agency would further slow down the clearing process, making the ports one of the most expensive and cumbersome in the world.
“We are glad to report that the Port Standing Task Team has been ordered never to encroach on the activities of port users and the community. Since they claimed to operate from the Shippers Council, they were to restrict themselves to their mandate and never to interfere with customs and Terminal operations”.
“By this victory, the Compliance Team reiterates its readiness to defend the interest of freight forwarders in line with our mandate as the punching arm of NAGAFF. We thank the following persons for their solidarity and support; the then Acting Customs Area Comptroller, Apapa Command, at the time, the Deputy Inspector-General Operations, Force headquarters, the MD, Nigerian Ports Authority, the former Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Hon. Emmanuel Jime and the management of the APMT,” the group said.
The NAGAFF Compliance Team recalled that PSTT’s activities at the nation’s seaports commenced at the APMT terminal with a letter directing the Deputy Comptroller to summon a stakeholders meeting, and further directing that examinations must start by 9am and end by 2pm.
They accused PSTT of setting up a stand at the AP Moller Terminal Apapa fully armed to participated in cargo examinations and carting away samples.
“We challenged them, physically obstructing their activities, removed their stand, seized the samples collected and ensured their exit. They thereafter resorted to all sorts of intimidations, blackmail and harassments.”
“The home of our national coordinator was besieged on several occasions at very ungodly hours, attempting to arrest him, with invitations from the DSS, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Zone 2 headquarters of the Nigeria Police,” the statement read.
The group also claimed that one of AP MT officials identified as Mr. Kayode, was arrested and interrogated at the state headquarters of the DSS and Zone 2, with the spurious allegation that he connived with the Compliance Team in ejecting PSTT from the seaports.
On his part, the Coordinator of PSTT, Mr. Moses Fadipe, described the freight forwarding group’s statement as a baseless accusation.
“I will just say the publication is a ranting and cheap publicity from a thuggish arm of a thuggish association. They are better ignored,” Fadipe told News Diet.
