BY OCHAYI & CALEB AYANSINA

ABUJA—The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, yesterday, accused Nigeria Customs Service officials for manipulating clearance processes at the ports to shortchange government for personal gain.

According to the agency, that explains the apathy displayed by the Nigeria Customs Service towards sanitising the ports.
The commission in a report on the Corruption Risk Assessment in the Port sector,  also identified lack of codes of conduct, weak enforcement and underdeveloped system for investigating complaints as major problems militating against effectiveness of the country’s port system.

The report, which covered Lagos, Calabar, Warri, Port-Harcourt and Onne Ports is a result of six-month project supported by United Nations Development programme, UNDP, and the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, MACN, and executed by ICPC, Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms, TUGAR, and the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP.