The Former National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Mr Eugene Nweke, has called for further clarification on the new $3.2 billion e-customs projects financed by Africa Finance Corporation, AFC, and managed by Huawei Technologies Limited under a new 20-year concession.
The new e-customs project, he noted is coming at the backdrop of the existing e-modernization project which was expected to deliver the same objective.
In a statement made available to Vanguard Maritime Report, Newke said that the request for clarifications on the new project was born out of the need for public knowledge of the whole essence of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Information Communication Technology, ICT, infrastructure modernization and concession.
He said that 10 years after, the NCS posits that prevailing e-modernization can no longer withstand its administrative convenience, hence, the need for the $3.2 billion e-customs project.
He said it is pertinent he requests for clarifications from the Ministry Of Finance and the NCS as his rights to know as a citizen and stakeholder:
“Can the FMOF give a details explanation on the contentious claims that the Procurements processes and procedures as contained in the Public Procurements Act were compromised?. It will suffice if the reference can be made with regards to the concession advertorial publications on the national dailies, the lists of bidders, the screening process of the bidders, and the winner of the bid process. The import here is that the NCS is a public agency of the Federal Republic, if an aspect of its functions as enacted in the federal law is considered for concession or privatization, then the public should be in the know.
“The NASS legislators only got wind of the concession plot, as was raised by Hon Jerry Alagbaso at the floor of the house. At what point was a public hearing held to this effect, hence, a 20 years concession contract agreement and not a formal engagement of consultants to execute a technical contract within a year or three?
“In view of the modernization concession of the NCS ICT infrastructure – Nigerians desire a detailed explanation with regards to the present state of the WebFontain Contract with the Government through the FMOF dated 3rd July 1997, before signing on to this modernization concession or are there two modernization contracts in existence?.
“The idea behind this question stems from the fact that it is the same FMOF that is at the center of contract supervision on behalf of the government, and noticeably, it is also on record that, the Optic Server hosted in the orbit for the NCS satellite supports was a very narrow tunnel, which had impeded the operational outputs, hence, the challenges raised by the NCS and the incessant server breakdown experienced at the operational zone.
“Since it has been noted, that the meaning of the modernization concession implies “the outsourcing” of the NCS ITC infrastructure for 20 years and not three or ten years, is the outsourcing contract component based on BOOTS ( Build, Own, Operate, Transfer And Service)?” among other questions.”
He continued, “I will always subscribe to any concept that will add value in the Customs Port Operations, CPO, provided such process is not technically skewed against the national interest and devoid of procedural abuses as laid down in the parlance of governance administration.
“It is based on noticeable untransparent moves and documented information in public knowledge, which are neither too glaring nor reconcilable to me that prompts my insistence, if not an inquisitiveness for a better explanation.
“Let me posit here that, based on my past experience and knowledge of the factors that are responsible for project failures cum project objectives defeats as evidence abounds in the industry increasingly prompts my inquisitiveness and insistence for clarification.
“Over time I have observed that, though projects are usually conceptualized, beautifully articulated, wonderfully projected and packaged, and excellently presented to attract patronage, but eventually turn out to be a defeated goal in the reality of project executions or implementation. In fact, records of projects that portray perfect solutions but were dead on arrival abounds,” he said.
