95% of cargoes exit ports through trucks, says NPA

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has decried a situation whereby over 95% of cargoes are exiting seaports through trucks, expressing its commitment to embrace multimodal transportation through the use of locomotive trains and barges.

The Managing Director NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, also reiterated the Authority’s determination to ensure effective service delivery in all Nigerian Ports with the intention of making the nation’s maritime sector more competitive and become a hub in the sub-region.

Bala Usman, who was represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mohammed Bello-Koko, spoke while receiving members of the House of Representatives Committee on Ports who paid working visit to NPA Headquarters Lagos.

She stated that the NPA was working to reduce the dwell time of cargoes at the Ports as well as embrace multimodal transportation through the use of locomotive trains and barges for the evacuation of cargoes in and out of the ports to the hinterlands.

She said: “Over 95% of the cargoes coming into the ports are taken through trucks and that is not efficient. There must be multimodal means of transportation to include trains and barges in order to reduce congestion and we are working towards this”.

Chairman, House Committee on Ports, Garba Datti Mohammad told stakeholders that the visit to the ports was to avail the committee on the workings of the ports and find out ways that the House could enhance port operations.He said: “It is necessary for members to see things for themselves and also meet with the operators so that we could better appreciate activities and operations of not only the NPA, but also terminal operators and other service providers”.

Mohammad stated further that the visit was to appraise the 2019 budget performance in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government during the presentation of the 2020 budget.

He commended the management of the NPA for the positive developments in the sector since its assumption of office and assured of the committee’s willingness to partner with the Authority towardsimproving the maritime sector given its importance to the national economy.