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By Steve Agbota
Eagle Eye Transparency And Integrity Initiative (EETAII) maritime branch, has described the nation’s maritime industry as the headquarters of corruption in the country.
EETAII in collaboration with Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) embarked on a maritime anti-corruption awareness campaign walk with the theme: “Tackling Corruption In The Maritime Industry Through Collaborative Efforts,” at the Lagos seaports.
Speaking with Daily Sun during the walk yesterday, the national president of EETAII, Anthony Shaibu, alleged that the maritime industry is the headquarters of corruption in the country but that this issue must be tackled through collaborative efforts in the maritime sector.
However, he urged the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu to focus their attention into maritime sector.
“I can tell you, this is the headquarters of corruption. There is no department of maritime that is not corrupt even when government tries as much as possible to establish a system that can be a kind of biometric or whatsoever, the black man still finds a way to corrupt the system. Every department of maritime is fantastically corrupt. Government must focus on this place.
“We embarked on this campaign because we are passing a message. As we know, Nigeria is a very blessed nation but the only issue we have is corruption that is why Nigerians are suffering. We as patriotic Nigerians, don’t need to be public office holders or politicians before we fight for the good of this nation because no matter where we go today or tomorrow, this remains our home. The average Nigerian believes that corruption is a normal thing but we are on this campaign to tell them that it is not so. The fight against corruption is not for one individual, it is our collective fight and everybody should get actively involved,” he explained.
He called on the government to support EETAII to carry on the anti-corruption crusade, adding that these are the basic things they should be looking into because corruption started from the top to the bottom.
“When the head is corrupt, what do you expect the down to be? We must try to say the truth and that is our challenge and we must face it. Nobody will do it for us. It is we as citizens that will do it” he said.
Meanwhile, the General Port Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Buba Jubril, commended the group for carrying out the campaign saying they should extend it to other ports.
“I think this is right for us to channel our energy against corruption in the industry and the country. Look at our port access road from here to Mile 2, the road that is meant to be free is clogged. Cotonou port is not like this. There is no one that’ll do it for us except we fight it ourselves. We can make a change even in our small offices,” he added.
