NPA Donates Port Offices To Support Shippers' Council Regulatory Role

L-R: Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Nigerian Ports
 Authority (NPA) Mr. Olumide Oduntan, Managing Director of NPA,
Mallam Habeeb Abdullahi and the Executive Secretary, Nigeria n Shippers’
Council, Bar. Hassan Bello when he paid a Courtesy Visit to the
 NPA Headquarters in Marina, Lagos Yesterday.

• Seeks Review Of Concession Agreement

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has pledged its support to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council by donating offices at each ports all over the country, in order for the Council to carry out its newly-assigned commercial regulatory role over the port system.

The assurance was given yesterday by the Managing Director of the NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi when the Executive Secretary of the Shippers Council; Mr Hassan Bello visited the NPA headquarters in Lagos.

Speaking at the brief meeting, the NPA boss acknowledged that the role given to the Council is long overdue, even as he pointed out that it is temporary, pending the passage of the National Transport Commission Bill.
Abdullahi however charged the Council to review the concession agreement with terminal operators in order to improve upon the current state of the port and bring about efficiency.
"The concession agreement after some years will have its own problems here and there, so we expect that you look at them and see how it can be better for both concessionaires and the government", he told his guest.
Speaking on the regulatory role of the Council, Abdullahi said that NPA and the Council are like brothers and sisters and that the NPA will continue to render its support to them.

"I advice that you go about it quietly and efficiently so that anybody with suspicion can douse that suspicion, we hope that you will not go beyond your mandate, we will give you all the support" he said.

Speaking earlier, the Shippers’ Council boss commended the NPA, saying that the authority was an ardent supporter of the Council in securing the node of government as the commercial regulator.

Bello also commended the NPA on its newly-introduced e-payment system, according to him; this will further complement the gains of the port reforms as achieved by the NPA.

"The e-payment has been widely acclaimed, it will further bring Nigerian ports in line with international standard because technology is the answer to port problems", he aknowleged.

Commenting on the gains of the port reforms, Bello pointed out that it has improved the turn- around time of vessels, brought about reduction in cargo dwell time, as well as aided port security.
"Remember when there used to be wharf rats, these are things of the past and even the infrastructure has received your attention" he said.
Despite the gains, however, he lamented that there are increases in tariff which he assured that the council will negotiate. Bello said that the port is be-devilled with cumbersome clearance procedures and the duplication of agencies.
He however agreed that the Council cannot achieve success in its port regulator role without support from the NPA as landlord of the port.
"We count on your support, we are in the same ministry and we just hope that you will continue to extend the support you have for the shipper’s council", he said.
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