The Comptroller, Customs Area Controller, Port Harcourt Area II Comand, Onne, Bashir Abubaka, has said that he would work round the clock to rid the ports under him of crime.
He made the assurance when members of Maritime and Energy Practitioners of Nigeria (MEMPON) led by its President, Dr Raph John paid him a courtesy visit in Onne, recently.
Abubaka noted that since importers were using crime as an alibi to avoid eastern ports, the command would ensure that the level of crime rate was reduced to the barest minimum.
He hinted that such was the idea of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (Rtd), saying that he would only key into the project.
According to him, Ali has the interest of port users in the country at heart and would not watch anyone to destroy his vision.
The Onne Port boss noted that sea ports in the eastern part of the country were safe for all kinds of transaction.
He reasoned that importers and other port users from the area who used other ports were not fair to themselves.
The custom chief, who condemned the practice of importing goods from countries like Contonou, said such was against the spirit of patriotism.
He maintained that all ports in the east including that of Warri in Delta State were safer for business, saying that quality vessels were now used in the area.
Furthermore, he also informed MEMPON members that he was an ardent believer of rule of law, adding that he would not toy with objectivity and transparency.
Inspection of cargo and other practices at the ports he said, were in line with the best international practice based on the Comptroller-General’s directives on Ease of Doing Business (EODB).
Responding to some of the points raised by the Port Harcourt Area II Custom boss, the President of MEMPON, Dr Raph John, said his members were prepared to crusade against all forms of characters inimical to port growth especially in the eastern ports. He lauded him over his plans to transform the Onne Port building and other projects.