Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman is determined to boost the nation’s economy by providing infrastructure and technologically up-to-date equipment at the ports.
After going round the Western and Eastern ports, it was obvious that the NPA Management was making efforts to reposition the ports in line with global trends.
Usman directed all terminal operators to invest more in up-to-date equipment that would make the nation’s seaports competitive and efficient.
She said that growth in trade volumes was a strong factor for port investment; to boost efficiency, build robust, responsive and competitive port economy in line with global best practices.
“Development and upgrading existing port infrastructure as well as improvement in performance have become imperative,’’ the managing director said.
To achieve this, the NPA chief expressed the readiness of the Management to review the concession agreement the terminal operators entered into with the Federal Government before the ports were concessioned in 2006.
She said that in countries like North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, growing container markets had led to the upgrading of the existing port infrastructure with container handling automation already put in place to handle large carriers with up to 18,000 TEUs (containers). Usman said this became imperative because manually-operated Rubber Tyre Gantry (RTG) cranes were no longer suitable to handle huge volume of containers from one vessel.
The managing director said NPA must lead in modernisation of equipment and infrastructure to respond to global trends in shipping business. She said that the priority of the management was good governance and transparency in the operations of the organisation.
“Pricing should be transparent for everybody to see,’’ the managing director said. She also said that NPA could not continue charging people for services it did not provide.
At a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, Usman urged port operators to embark on development plans.
She assured stakeholders that procurement of pilot cutters and tug boats would be done in 2017.
“We need to provide more patrol boats. We need to jointly work together to address issues.
“There are areas where you as stakeholders can partner with the regulators on how to improve on your operations. “We are looking at our dredging programmes to ensure that the right drafts are provided.
“We will see what can be done on 24-hour pilotage in Eastern ports as in other ports,’’ she said.
Usman stressed the importance of rail transportation and noted that NPA had been discussing with the Federal Ministry of Transportation to ensure the completion of the rail project.
She said that the management was also working toward a billing process so that any service not rendered would not be paid for.
Port operators had said that NPA should achieve its mandate with the passage of the budget and address some challenges like high siltation which had prevented some deep drafted vessels from coming in.
He mentioned other challenges like security of the channels, inadequate manpower, inadequate marine crafts and shallow channel.
The need to dredge the Calabar port and attract bigger ships to the port also took the centre stage.
On its part, the Senate Committee on Marine Transport warned that it would revoke the port concession agreement with any terminal operator that failed to fulfil the agreement.
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ahmed Yerima, gave the warning after a five-day oversight supervision by members of the committee at Western and Eastern Ports.
Yerima said that some of the concessionaires had refused to perform their obligations, adding that the concession agreement should be reviewed every two years.
He urged the terminal operators to fulfil their financial obligations as highlighted in Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government in order to reap the dividends of port concession.
“Since 2006, when the Federal Government approved the ports for concession, there has been no review of the agreement. “We have the power to call for the cancellation of agreement with any concessionaire, who is not performing.
“If you look at the relationship between government and the concessionaires, some of the concessionaires have violated the agreement,” he said.
“We are going to look deep into it and ensure that the
concessionaires operate within the ambit of the agreement, ‘’ the
lawmaker said.
He said that the committee would investigate deep into previous
records of the terminal operators to ensure that nobody short-changed
the government on revenue.
Yerima said that there was need to establish more deep seaports in the country.
He said that shallow waters would not allow bigger vessels into the
Nigerian waters, adding that bigger vessels patronised Cotonou and
other countries due to their deep seaports.
The lawmaker said that if both Badagry and Lekki deep seaports
commence operations, the ports would develop Nigerian trade in the
area of imports and exports.
The NPA Management is also collaborating with port operators toward
ensuring a boost in the power generation at the ports, enough to
sustain operation and bring about greater efficiency.
The Chairman, Board of Directors of NPA, Mr Emmanuel Adesoye, said
this during a facility appreciation tour of locations in Western
Ports.
Adesoye said it was important for operators at the nation’s seaports
to collaborate and think out of the box in the area of Independent
power generation at the ports.
“Our nation is facing a hard time and we all have to work together to
help the economy’. Power is a major ingredient for national
development and we have to deploy it,’’ he said.
The chairman said that government was desirous of stimulating
agricultural produce export through the nation’s seaports.
He said this would amount to more revenue for the nation.
The chairman said, “It is critical to reduce berthing, waiting and
Turn Around Time of vessels in order to improve revenue generation for
the nation which would in turn impact positively on the living
standard of the masses.’’
Adesoye, who was also in the Eastern ports with other Board members,
called for speedy dredging of the Calabar port so that bigger ships
would sail in.
The NPA Board also decided to clear to safe anchorage abandoned
vessels disrupting the operations of Integrated Oil and Gas Free Zone
(Intels) and other concessionaires in Eastern ports.
In line with the new directive of government, the NPA and the Port of
Miami are collaborating to boost export and trade facilitation
programme of the Federal Government.
The U.S. International Trade Coordinator, Department of Regulatory and
Economy Resources (RER), Mr Desmond Alufohai and the Director,
Government and International Relations (GIR) for Port of Miami,
MsDebra Owen met the NPA managing director.
The duo were in NPA to explore opportunities in the mineral resources
and agricultural produce of the country.
Speaking during an interactive session with the NPA’s Managing
Director, Ms Hadiza Usman, the visitors expressed their readiness to
assist in the development and modernisation of infrastructure at the
nation’s seaports.
The delegation also expressed the determination to partner the NPA in
the area of compliance and efficient port system.
The visitors promised to assist the country to boost the economy by harnessing
the immense opportunities in the exportation of farm produce and
mineral resources to America.
The NPA managing director, however, noted that there were many
challenges confronting port operations.
According to her, the traffic gridlock in Apapa had affected access
into the ports and killing trade facilitation programme of government.
She said that the bad access roads into Apapa had affected the smooth
delivery of cargoes to importers.
“NPA is not happy that all modalities and measures adopted so far
have not translated into quick cargo movement in and out of the
ports,” the managing director said.
Usman said, “the quick rehabilitation of the road remains a priority
to my team to reposition the ports and salvage the economy.’’
She appealed to Messrs Dangote Construction Nig. Ltd and the
Management of Flour Mills Nig Ltd. to expedite action toward an early
reconstruction of Wharf Road.
Usman also appealed to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr
Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and members of the National Assembly toinclude
the reconstruction of Creek Road linking Tin-Can Island Port.
She said the minister and the lawmakers should help in ensuring quick
completion of the trailer park opposite the Tin-Can Port to keep the
trucks away from the roads.
Usman also called for synergy between the Federal Government and Lagos
State Government as well as the stakeholders to find a permanent
solution to the perennial gridlock on the road.
She urged port users to always subject themselves to security checks
at the gates leading to the ports and warned that unauthorised persons
intruding into the ports should stop or face sanctions.
Usman said that efforts were being made by the Federal Government and
the NPA to improve and sustain efficient road transport network within
and around the ports.
The managing director said that government would promote trade,
improve cargo delivery and boost the economy.
Stakeholders had reached an agreement to take necessary measures to
ensure commencement of reconstruction of Wharf Road leading to the
nation’s major port.
The stakeholders agreed on several issues at a meeting held at the
office complex of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing
headquarters in Lagos.
Those in attendance include representatives of traffic regulatory and
traffic management agencies, law enforcement agencies, transport
unions, petroleum products unions, port terminal operators and the
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Others are telecommunication service providers, the Apapa Local
Government,representatives of Federal Ministry of Power, Works and
Housing, AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, contractors of the
project, among others.
The stakeholders, rising from the meeting, presented a communique read
by Mr Godwin Eke, Federal Controller Works, Lagos and a Consultant of
AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, Mr Kayode Opeifa.
They agreed that the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and
NPA should among others collaborate to repair all bad roads and
diversion routes, including Tin Can Island Road, Creek Road and
Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, which will receive heavy traffic.
The stakeholders commended the NPA, AG Dangote, Flour Mills of Nigeria
and the Federal Ministry of Power, Work and Housing for coming
together to execute the project.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on
June 17, handed over the Apapa Wharf Road to AG Dangote Construction
Company Ltd. for reconstruction.
The site was handed over after the minister signed a N4.34 billion
Memorandum of Understanding with stakeholders who were to fund the
project.
The project is to be funded by AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd, an
arm of the Dangote Group, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Flour
Mills of Nigeria.
The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, on July 22, held the first
stakeholders’ meeting with some concerned parties on how to achieve
success and speed on the project.
The ministry held another meeting with telecommunication service
providers and others on how to relocate service cables and pipes in
the Right of Way of the project.
The two-kilometre road has a completion period of one year
On the whole, industry experts advised government to be more committed
to infrastructure development at ports to boost the economy of the
nation, especially now that Nigerians were diversifying to agriculture
for exports.