Get Guardian on GoogleThe Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and seaport terminal operators to facilitate the immediate evacuation of hundreds of containers of critical electricity equipment stranded at Nigerian ports for nearly two decades.
The equipment, some of which have remained at the nation’s seaports since 2007, are expected to be cleared following a presidential directive aimed at removing longstanding administrative and bureaucratic bottlenecks delaying their release.
Oyetola, who gave the directive in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, instructed the NPA and terminal operators to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Ministry of Power to ensure the prompt evacuation of the containers.
He said effective coordination among government agencies and port stakeholders was critical to the successful implementation of the presidential directive.
The minister consequently directed the NPA and terminal operators to prioritise logistics, cargo positioning and handling arrangements required to facilitate the clearance exercise.
“Mr President’s directive is clear, and our responsibility is to ensure its effective implementation. NPA and terminal operators are to give this assignment the highest priority, work seamlessly with Customs and the Ministry of Power, and provide every necessary operational support to achieve the desired result,” he said.
The intervention is expected to address a longstanding impediment to the delivery of critical electricity infrastructure, particularly as the Federal Government seeks to improve power generation, transmission and distribution across the country.
Oyetola reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to improving port efficiency, reducing cargo dwell times and ensuring that the country’s maritime infrastructure supports national economic and development priorities.
He noted that Nigerian seaports should function as strategic gateways for economic growth, industrial development and infrastructure delivery rather than become holding points for cargoes whose release is essential to national progress.
The minister also called on all stakeholders involved in the exercise to sustain the momentum and ensure that the presidential directive was implemented without further delay.
He maintained that the timely evacuation of the equipment would demonstrate the government’s determination to tackle institutional bottlenecks and accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure projects.
