Receives Work Bank Report as CBD offers Support

Hadiza Bala Usman, MD, Nigeria Ports Authority

Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman has reiterated her commitment even as she insists that NPA is an organization will do everything within its powers to make Nigeria’s sea ports more attractive, customer friendly, cost effective and more efficient in service delivery.

Speaking when she received officials of the Lagos Central Business District (CBD) on a courtesy call at the Corporate Headquarters Marina, Lagos, Hadiza who was represented by the Executive Director Marine and Operations, Dr. Sokonte Davies,  told the CBD delegation that NPA will always ensure that things are done in a transparent manner in deference to laid down rules and regulations.

The representative of the MD also assured that NPA will always work with Stakeholders, Port Users and the general public in line with the organizational frame work to boost the Ease of Doing Business, EoDB, in Nigerian ports.

Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos on the CBD, Prince Olanrewaju Elegushi disclosed that the purpose of the visit was to familiarize with NPA as a major player on the Lagos Island and to assure that they are ready to provide support services to NPA at all times.

Prince Elegushi emphasized that functions of the CBD include effective and smooth traffic movement within the Island, beautification of the environment as well as comfort of investors and businesses within the CBD.

The special adviser also stress that management of the CBD will work to strengthen the existing synergy with NPA in order to achieve global best practices with result benefiting the state and the country at large.

As part the drive to achieve greater efficiency in port operations across the country, World Bank Officials were also at the corporate headquarters of the NPA, marina, Lagos to present the Ports Concession Assessment Framework (PCAF) Report.

The report is in furtherance of and in line with NPA resolve to effect transparency and clarity in the evaluation of the concession agreement reached in 2006.

Aside these engagements, NPA is looking at possible options to restore sanity within Apapa and bring the issue of traffic congestion to an end.

The Ijora transit park for trucks and an electronic call up system are some of the options being explored in this direction.

The establishment of the Traffic Task Team, TTT, even as the Presidential Task Team which is saddled with resolving the perennial traffic gridlock in Apapa grapples with accusations of collusion and extortion which stakeholders say are reasons why the Apapa traffic has not been solved.

The setting up of the TTT which NPA has done is expected to reverse the trend as it partners with the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, to seek lasting solution to the traffic menace in with the Apapa port environment.

Movement of barges to and from Apapa is another option being explore by NPA and the NSC to ease traffic by reducing the number of trucks on the roads.

Terminal operators in the Apapa port complex and the Tin Can sea port have been directed to ensure the use of barge by making berthing space available for barges assigned to move containers through the waters.

In collaboration with truck owners, the NPA Traffic Task Team is expected to making driving experience much more pleasurable for port users and other motorists by resolving all traffic issues within the shortest possible time frame.