APFFLON bemoans Webb Fontaine’s epileptic, inefficient service delivery, others Urges FG to reveal owners of the company as stakeholders incur losses daily By Prince Benson Davies

APFFLON bemoans Webb Fontaine’s epileptic, inefficient service delivery, others

• Urges FG to reveal owners of the company as stakeholders incur losses daily

By Prince Benson Davies

The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has condemned the inefficiency and epileptic service delivery of Webb Fontaine Nigeria Limited, which has resulted to economic losses and crippling operations of stakeholders in the country’s sea ports and terminals.
President of the association, Frank Ogunojemite demanded to know the intrigues behind the constant failure and inefficiency of Webb Fontaine Limited services, which he said, has been responsible for the provision of Information Technology (IT), Telecommunications Infrastructure and network management to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Speaking at a roundtable with members of the Maritime Journalist Association of Nigeria (MAJAN) recently, Ogunojemite lamented the frequent difficulties experienced by freight forwarders in clearing their cargoes due to consistent server breakdown, which connotes inefficiencies on the part of Webb Fontaine Limited.
These infractions have resulted into monumental economic losses to importers and freight forwarders.

Ogunojemite said: “Government needs to investigate the activities of Webb Fontaine from the date of their engagement till present date.
“Webb Fontaine Nigeria Limited was engaged in 2006 to provide service to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in the area of information technology deployment to ensure effectiveness and seamless operations of the NCS, as well as block leakages and increase revenue.”
The APFFLON boss, however, noted that this objective has so far fallen short of expectations  as there have been lots of hiccups in the operations of the server, which has caused financial losses to businesses and all stakeholders at the Nigerian Ports.
“There has been no sensitization or stakeholder engagement by Webb Fontaine on its operations or any regret or public apology for the losses the importers and other port users have been subjected to, leaving aggrieved users to blame customs officials and the NCS management for disruptions from the server.
“Webb Fontaine does not have help desks or contact offices at the ports and terminals; rather, the company stations its offices at choice locations in cities, whereas its services are needed in ports and terminals.
“The numerous challenges in Nigeria’s port system are attributable to Web Fontaine. Findings have shown that the Dubai-based company operates a seamless and hitch-free process in Dubai while subjecting Nigerians to gross inefficiencies, and with this, we can conclude that the company’s actions are a deliberate attempt to sabotage the Nigerian economy,” he added.