Port reforms to lead to efficiency -- Obasanjo
President Olusegun Obasanjo said yesterday that current reforms at the country's ports were meant to lead to efficient services.
Speaking at a meeting with a delegation of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in Abuja, Obasanjo said corruption at the ports had to be eliminated.
He identified corruption as one of the major causes of unnecessary delays in the clearance of cargo, saying it remains the core goal of the reforms.
The president said the federal government would take measures to ensure efficient performance at the ports.
He said a stakeholders forum would soon be convened to examine lingering problems bedevilling the smooth implementation of the reforms at the ports.
Speaking earlier, the National President of ANLCA, Chief Ernest Elochukwu, commended the president for reintroducing destination inspection and for concessioning the ports and terminals to private concerns.
Elochukwu expressed the readiness of the association to partner with government to ensure efficiency at the ports, and drew attention to over-crowding and the menace of touts at the ports.