By Fabian Anawo
The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA says it is working on a Public Private Partnership arrangement to fix the Tincan Island quay apron.
The Managing Director of NPA , Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko, dropped the hint in a message to the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria Breakfast Meeting on “Rehabilitation of Tin Can Island Port: Proffering Workable Solutions.”
His message was delivered by the General Manager, Managing Director Office, NPA, Mr. Ayo Durowaye.
He acknowledged that facilities at the port are in bad shape but not as bad as was being painted that vessels were avoiding the ports.
According to him, big vessels have been arriving at the Tincan Island Port and recalled that the largest RoRo Vessel came to Tincan Island on June 28.
He said that discussions with local and international partners who have the required financial and technical expertise on the issue have reached an advanced stage.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr. Emmanuel Jime who spoke at the event said that there was an urgent need to rehabilitate port facilities so that the country can take it’s pride of place in the Committee of Maritime nations.
Jime advocated for an intermodal system of transportation in the country to decongest traffic at the port access roads, especially rail transport to link all the ports.
He identified weak regulatory framework in the Maritime sector as a major threat.
A former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr. Temisan Omatseye said that Nigeria needs to develop her riverine ports to drive traffic away from the Lagos ports.
He said that an effective riverine transportation would create employment and suggested that only
terminal operators with waterfronts should be allowed to operate in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju noted that it was not only the Lagos port that has and urged MARAN to also focus it’s searchlight on other ports.
Barge Operators complained of paying fees in dollars and alleged unsustainablity of the tarrif regime of the NPA and called reduction.
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