NPA calls for more collaboration to enhance ports efficiency

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has called on all stakeholders in the ports system for an improved synergy towards greater operational efficiency and proffer solutions to the lingering challenges.

The Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, who made this call at the quarterly meeting of the Port Consultative Council (PCC), in Lagos, said stakeholders’ collaboration is critical to the government in its desire and commitment to making Nigeria a leading port in Africa.

Usman also affirmed NPA’s desire to tackle critical issues affecting optimal operations in areas of maritime safety and security, port access roads, and multimodal transportation of cargoes.

She said: “Indeed analyzing the overriding objectives of the Federal Government’s, Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), depends largely on how swiftly we can correct the inherent deficits in our port infrastructure especially the port access roads.”

According to her, NPA has introduced strategies to ameliorate the challenges of doing business within the port environment. These include palliatives at ending the gridlock at Apapa and its environs; conversion of Lillypond Container Terminal into a holding bay for trucks; innovation with the automation of the Call-Up System for trucks, and other incentives given for the transfer of cargo through barges from Ikorodu, Epe, and Ijegun, among others.

She further solicited for improved synergy by all stakeholders towards making the best use of the opportunities in the sector towards the growth of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Chairman of the Council, Kunle Folarin, appreciated Usman, stressing that her accomplishments have indeed impacted positively in the sector. “We’ve continued to score a lot of mileage, and we need the support of all agencies to move the council to the next level,” he said.

Folarin explained that the council has been able to collaborate with stakeholders in the transport sector to bring required developmental progress to the industry and called for greater partnership.