NPA blames political interference for poor performance of Eastern ports

Hadiza Bala Usman, the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has blamed political interference as one of the reasons limiting the authority from generating more revenue from seaports in the Eastern part of the country.

Speaking last Thursday in Lagos during a one-day seminar tagged ‘Making Nigerian Ports Preferred Cargo Hub in the West and Central African Sub-Region,’ organised by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), the NPA boss, pointed that injection of private interests, bureaucratic red tapes, youth restiveness and terrorism, lack of effective monitoring of offshore operations and shallow depth of the long river channels, were among many reasons limiting operations in Eastern ports.

Usman, who was represented by Innocent Umar, assistant general manager, Corporate Planning & Strategy said the earlier listed issues limits NPA from generating more revenue in the Eastern ports

“To expand the revenue base of the NPA from the Eastern ports would entail dredging the water channels to allow deep drafted vessels to come in. We also need virile port promotions to increase shippers’ patronage. This would increase tonnage handled by the concessionaires and automatically the cargo throughput,” Usman stated.

She further pointed at the need for continuous collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies towards ensuring security of the channels and waterways. “It is also essential to maintain the terminals and jetties towards tracking the tonnage handled and to maximise revenue accruable from the cargo throughputs.”

According to her, there is also need for effective monitoring of the offshore operations and conscious efforts to run port business along commercial principles. “It is also imperative to pass into law, the proposed Ports & Harbours Bill for proper delineation and extension of the ports limit.”