Technology deployment will eliminate corruption at ports — Expert

A former Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello, has said that proper deployment of technology would eliminate corruption in the ports.

Bello stated this recently while speaking at the 10th Anniversary Lecture and Awards of Primetime Reporters.

The event was themed, “Leveraging technology to maximise the potential of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.”

He stated that lack of adequate deployment of technology in Nigeria’s port business system, especially the absence of a single-window platform for port operations and the advanced Cargo Tracking Note, is pulling back the country’s blue economy development.

“Advanced cargo tracking systems and a single-window system are indispensable for a technology-driven port operation. These are critical. The blue economy will not do well without adequate deployment of technology,” Bello said.

He maintained that the Nigerian ports are not maximally efficiently driven by technology.

“When I was at the Shippers Council, terminals were not technologically driven, and we had to set a target for them, and I am happy that by the time I was leaving, the terminal operators had reached 50 per cent technology integration in their operations. We can stay in our office and work on the bill of lading, importation documents, and everything about the port business,” Bello emphasised.

Bello insisted that once the ports can operate through technology, “corruption in the port system would be eliminated as too much human contact is responsible for the deep-rooted corruption at Nigerian ports.”

He mentioned that a port is not supposed to have people all over the place, pointing out that an efficient port is driven by technology.

“I remember when we visited Singapore’s biggest port with some lawmakers. I can still recall when one of them asked me if that was a seaport, and I said, “Yes.” A port is not supposed to have too many people doing business. Once you have too many people in the port, this drives corruption. This is the reason for the corruption in the port,” Bello concluded.