The concession agreement with five terminal operators that had expired has been finalized, according to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and will be submitted for final clearance to the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
The agreement will be presented before the end of business on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, according to Mohammed Bello-Koko, managing director of NPA, who was speaking over the weekend when Engr. Mu’azu Sambo, minister of transportation, visited the organization for a familiarization trip.
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He claims that discussions among some terminal operators have not yielded any results and that some terminal operators have not yet provided the required response to the authority.
The NPA helsman, however, bemoaned the complete physical inspection of shipments at the nation’s seaports, claiming that this is impeding effective cargo inspection because manual cargo examination is time-consuming and ineffective.
He said that while Customs will operate the scanners, the terminal operators have expressed a desire to buy and maintain them at the Nigerian seaports.
If scanners are made available, he claimed, Nigerian seaports will become more competitive and popular locations for goods in West and Central Africa.
Due to the lack of scanners, manual inspection of goods in our ports is ineffective, unsustainable, laborious, and unable to maintain our port’s competitiveness. However, terminal owners have stated that they are willing to buy and maintain the scanners; however, the service will maintain the equipment.
This will make our port more efficient, competitive, and efficient in the sub-region,’ he said.
The NPA MD in his presentation to the minister, said the nation’s seaports need to explore the alternative sources of power generation to the seaport because of the rising cost of power generation to the seaport.
He, as well, called for the reconstruction of the collapsed quay apron at the Tin-Can Island port and collapsed jetty at Continental Shipyard.
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“Matters requiring urgent attention include the reconstruction of the quay apron at Tin Can Island Port complex and collapsed jetty at Continental Shipyard Ltd.
