By Jimitota Onoyume

A pilotage firm , Escravos ship Pilot Nigeria Limited, ESPNL, has intensified its operations to ensure oil service boats comply with the mandate to endorse their master declaration chit, thus ridding the maritime sector of huge scale fraud along the Warri pilotage district ,Delta state.

Technical director of the firm Captain Charlie Tobi who spoke in Warri on the renewed effort by the federal government to block leakages in the maritime sector , said the firm was mandated to among others “conduct pilotage services on Ship sailing out of Warri Pilotage District”

” The services shall commence from Ramos/Agge Anchorage/ Forcados River/Forcados Shoreline and disembark from the ship to Escravos Fairway/Forcados Offshore station not exceeding 10 nautical miles”.

Continuing, he said,:” Operators of all oil service boats within the operational area are mandated to sign/endorse their Master Declaration Chit showing the particulars of the ship, the owners, agents, cargo type as well as the gross registered tonnage, among others, in the course of any voyage undertaken, for NPA’s record and for the safety of the vessel”,

According to Captain Tobi , a recent check by ESPNL revealed shocking alleged huge scale fraud as some of the oil service boats allegedly connived with some persons to evade the mandatory endorsement, thus making the nation lose huge revenues.

“They have been letting them off the hook , issuing them what is known in the local parlance as ‘off record’, after receiving unspecified gratifications, thus diverting revenue due to the Federal Government to private pockets”.

He further enjoined government to fish out those behind this alleged corrupt act within it sector , adding that it was impacting negatively on port operations.

He also disclosed a protest letter they wrote on the ugly situation to the Managing Director , Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, urging him to sanction anyone caught.The letter reads in parts, :

“They are sabotaging management’s good efforts, and they are economic saboteurs. We cannot fold our arms and watch them continue this cruel habits.

“The management lacks fund to rebuild the Escravos Submerged Breakwaters, but these set of people are diverting the revenue that is supposed to come to the Nigerian Port Authority’s purse. Only revenue generating from Oil Service Boat is enough to rebuild the breakwaters.

“We are appealing to the management to use its good offices to arrest this ugly act being carried out “.

Some stakeholders in the maritime sector in Warri who simply identified themselves as Joseph and Alhaji said effort should be in place to eliminate sharp practices.

“Ordinarily, a vessel’s movement could be tracked from its point of departure enroute its voyage till it berths at the jetty. It is not shipowners duty to do NPA’s job for them”, one of them said .