National President
of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, Prince Olayewoya
Shittu, has accused the Minister of Transportation; Rotimi Amaechi of
being the worst minister, as he has abandoned the development of the transport
sector and concentrating on the 2019 elections.
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| National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayewola Shittu |
Shittu who made this accusation in Lagos, said
the minister is simply interested in government agencies meeting the revenue targets
that he has set for them.
He alleged that the minister is more interested in the politics in Port
Harcourt than doing his work in the sector, especially in the maritime sector.
He also blamed the present administration of paying lip service to the
development of the maritime industry despite the important role of the sector
to the nation’s economy.
According to the ANLCA boss, “Politicians must always look for money to run
their politics. And by this time next year, you will see what will happen in
the maritime industry because by that time, they would be too busy doing
politics, nobody will have time for the industry. That is why no suggestion; no
matter how right, works.
“I think the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi is to blame. He is the worst minister that has come to us because he is just
interested in government agencies meeting the revenue target that he has set
for them, that is why he wanted to collect Practitioners Operating Fees, POF
illegally from clearing agents to feed CRFFN that is under his ministry.
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| Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi |
“As long as government refuse to put the experts in Maritime industry to
handle the ministry of transport, and use it to compensate politicians, so also
we will continue to have this problem.
“Customs is headed by a non-custom officer; Minister of Transport is
headed by a non-Maritime career person. How can it work? As long as government
refuses to make the experts in the Maritime industry handle the Ministry of
Transport but instead use it to compensate politicians, we will continue to
have problems,” he said.
He complained that shippers are being extorted hiding under the need for
compliance and doing things right.
“After collecting money and extorting the shipper, you tell him to be
compliant?
“Everyone has forgotten that as far as maritime industry is concerned,
the shipper is the key, if there is no shipper, there is no cargo, if there is
no cargo, there is no vessel, If there is no vessel, you don’t need a port, so
there won’t be need for NIMASA and other government agencies, because there
would be no port.
“NIMASA is talking about safety on the sea, do they have trained
personnel? Or they want to get their own army that would go to the sea.”
He added that nothing will get better until things are put in the right
perspective. “There is no way forward. Until we put the right peg in the right
role, nothing will work. The Minister of Transport is not even a technocrat,
and he becomes minister of NPA or minister of NIMASA. That is what they want to
be doing, it is unfortunate.” he noted.
However, Director of Press of the ministry of Transportation, Yetunde Shonaike, was quoted to have said that the minister has not abandoned his duties in the sector. She said that there have been a lot of achievements in the transport sector, especially in the maritime industry since the minister assumed office.
Asked to mention one of such achievements, she said she was not in the office and cannot give it off hand until she checks.
Culled from Vanguard Newspaper
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