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Tag: NPA

  • NPA requires over N50b to buy patrol boats, fenders

    By Oluwakemi Dauda

    The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) needs about N50billion to fix dilapidated fenders and purchase new patrol boats for the ports across the country, it was gathered at the weekend.

    Marine rubber fenders are used as “bumper” for ships to berth and prevent collision while doing so.

    It was gathered that the ships that call at the Lagos Port Complex ( LPC) experience prolonged waiting time to berth and delayed quick cargo clearance from the port because the fenders in most of the terminals are  bad.

    Speaking with The Nation at one of the Lagos terminals, a senior officer with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) said the berthing force must not be underestimated by the NPA.

    He urged the management of the NPA  to provide  fenders and patrol boats at the seaports.

    The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Depending on the speed, a big or medium-sized ship will destroy the dock, if there are miscalculations or if the energy is not efficiently absorbed by the “bumpers”,  or worse, if there are no fenders to absorb the collision. Ships coming into contact directly with the quay wall or shore is a big problem; they usually cause serious damage at the ports if the fenders are not provided by the agency.

    “Since ocean is the most cost-efficient transportation menas in the world, there are vessels of all sizes and kinds around the world that are calling at the Lagos Port Complex. From the use of fishing vessels, to bulk carriers, to container vessels, there are a lot of ship types on our waters that need reliable fenders to berth. NPA may need between N30billion and N50billion to provide the modern fenders and purchase the patrol boats for adequate service delivery.

    “As ships got bigger, the old timber and tyre structures used before just aren’t strong enough to absorb efficiently. We needed a better solution.

    “That is why marine fenders were invented. The ones needed by NPA must be efficient, strong, and able to cope with the new ship designs to avoid unnecessary accident in our ports.”

    NPA Managing Director Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, the senior Customs officer said, must see to the provision of the fenders and the patrol boats to end the prolonged waiting time for vessels calling at the Lagos seaports.

    NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr Adams Jatto told The Nation that NPA had initiated the plan to provide the fenders and the patrol boats to boost efficient service delivery to customers.

    Although Jatti did not mention the cash to be spent, he said NPA  needed a huge cash to purchase at least, 4.5M DIameter Yokohama Pneumatic Rubber Fenders and patrol boats to position the Ports for greater efficiency.

  • Senate, NPA, NIMASA, others to meet over Apapa gridlock

    PLANS are underway to invite the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), farm tank owners, manufacturers and other relevant stakeholders over THE lingering Apapa gridlock, the Senate Committee on Works has said.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya, who dropped the hint at a meeting with management of APM Terminals in Abuja, yesterday, said the stakeholders would be invited in the coming weeks.

    He further said they are to attend the meeting to find lasting solution to the problem.

    Gaya, who said the challenge had become an embarrassment to the country, noted that only concerted efforts would bring about lasting solution.

    He said: “We are expanding the committee to include, Senate Committee on Marine Transport and by next week, we will invite NPA and NIMASA to take a holistic look at the matter.

    Read also: Apapa gridlock, excessive charges take toll on cashew

    “We will also invite all owners of terminals, manufacturers, tank farm owners and other stakeholders to the meeting.

    “We cannot wait for one person to find solution to the problem. We have to work together as a team.”

    He expressed concern that unlike in the past, where terminal operators cleared up to 750 containers a day, “today, with less business, some of the few containers brought to the terminal for clearing spend close to three weeks.”

    He further decried that in some situations, before containers arrived the terminals, the ships had departed, adding that many exporters lost millions of Naira in the process.

    The APM Terminal Managing Director, Mr. Martins Jacob, said the problem was multifaceted, adding that  unless it was tackled holistically, no significant impact would be made.

    Jacob, who identified one of the major challenges was lack of access roads, said the bad road condition and absence of an efficient traffic management system were part of the problem.

    He also said that issues such as identifying and allowing only truckers with valid transactions into the port area as well as monitoring and removing idling or broken down trucks from the ports access roads were a challenge.

    The APM chief said: “Poor state of trucks coming to the port which makes it difficult to service them, cause  a number of breakdowns affecting the terminal operations.

    “Fatigue on the part of the drivers after the long wait on the port access road also has potentials to cause accident leading to more gridlock.”

  • NPA boss Hadiza for minister

    AS Nigerians await President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial list with bated breath, indications have emerged that the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hadiza Bala Usman could be named in the President’s second term cabinet.

    Impeccable sources informed Sentry that the NPA boss could be named a minister in the same manner her name emerged from the blue when she was appointed as the managing director of the all-important agency.

    One of the sources said as a sign of how much confidence President Buhari reposes in her, following the active role she played in his presidential campaign, Hadiza is, in fact, said to be involved in compiling the names of would-be members of the new cabinet.

    Ministerial aspirants are said to be doing everything humanly  possible to get her to recommend them. The proud daughter of radical history teacher late Professor  Bala Usman is said to be taking all in its stride. Some serving ministers, we learnt, are rattled by the development.

  • NPA may convert Lilypond Terminal to truck park

    The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) may convert Lilypond Terminal at Ijora to a trailer park in a bid to ease the gridlock  on Apapa Ports roads.

    The roads lead to the Tin Can Island and Apapa Ports, the nation’s busiest terminals.

    In a chat with The Nation during a facility tour by the NPA board, its General Manager, Public Affairs, Adams Jatto, said the idea was mooted to address the Apapa traffic crises.

    It may, however, spark controversy because the NPA last September 1 awarded a fresh five-year development concession of the Lilypond Terminal to APM Terminal after the expiration of its 2006 concession.

    Details of the new arrangement remain unknown.

    Read also: Apapa gridlock takes toll on cashew

    Jatto said: “Lilypond Container Terminal was erroneously concessioned ab initio because the said terminal does not have a water front for loading and offloading of cargo. Consequently, after the expiration of the lease, the terminal was however reclassified and granted a five-year development lease.”

    The authority, he said, would soon begin work at the terminal to ascertain the number of trucks it can take. NPA, Jatto added, would adopt an orderly electronic call up system for the parking of trucks at the terminal before they go to the ports for loading.

    The NPA generated N565,142,063.36 and N560,734,047 from the leasing of the facility in 2017 and 2018 when it was not concessioned.

    Clearing agents at the terminal had complained of about 300 job loss due to the idle state of the facility and accused APMT of doing nothing about the influx of containers.

  • NPA drums support for maritime operators

    The Federal Government has appealed to maritime communities in Delta State to support government’s efforts to revive ports activities.

    The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, made the plea during the official handing over of Terminal B, Berth 4 of the Old Warri Port to Ocean and Cargo Services Limited, a partner to maritime industry giant,  SIFAX Group, held at NPA, Warri.

    Represented by the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Dr Sokonte Davies, she said the reason for concessioning ports facilities is to enhance productivity and attract more cargoes to the abandoned ports.

    She told the host communities that the fruit of supporting the Federal Government’s initiatives in the sector would be an enhanced economy for Warri and environs, the state and the  jobs for people from the communities.

    “As you all know, why we are concessioning the terminal is to enhance productivity and to attract more cargos to our ports.”

    The Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), Alex Okoh, expressed satisfaction with the development, saying Ocean and Cargo Terminal Services Limited emerged the successful concessionaire for the transaction.

     

    He said the concession of Terminal B is for a period of 25 years at an annual lease fee of $1,621,500.00 in addition to the entry fee and monthly throughput fee chargeable on volume of cargo handled.

    He said: “The objective of the government in port concession is to increase efficiency in our ports, improve service delivery, upgrade and modernise facilities in ports, reduce cost of shipping and clearing of goods at the ports and relive the government of the burden of financing the sector.”

    The Group Managing Director of SIFAX Group, Mr. Adekunle Oyinloye, said Ocean and Cargo Services Limited is ready to deliver efficient services at the port and make the Warri Port a vibrant and enviable hub of maritime activities again.

     

     

     

  • Buhari declines assent to two transport bills

    President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to two bills in the transport sector.

    They are the National Transport Commission Bill 2018 and the Federal Roads Authority (Establishment) Bill 2018.

    The president’s decision came in a letter to the National Assembly leadership read by the President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, at plenary on Wednesday.

    Buhari said some sections of the National Transport Commission Bill contained safety regulations that would duplicate the functions of existing transport agencies.

    He said, “Safety regulatory provisions enshrined in some sections of the bill which are technical in nature fall within the purview of central legislation implemented by agencies like NIMASA (Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), NPA (Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and therefore should be expunged from the bill.

    “Two, the percentage of the amount to be retained by the agency from royalties collected under section 19 (2)(d) should be reduced from 10 to five per cent.

    “Section 12 (9)(2)(d) stipulates that a portion of the proceeds from royalties collected by the authority empowered to collect royalties from transport service providers should not exceed 10 per cent which is collected by service providers and concessionaires.

    “Three, section 19 (2)(f) which stipulates charge of three per cent freight tariff stabilisation fee on all imports and exports out of Nigeria including wet and dry cargoes should be amended and reduced from three per cent to one per cent.

    “This is what is currently contained in the Nigerian Shippers Council legislation,” he said.

    On the Federal Roads Authority (Establishment) Bill 2018, the president said the proposed road sector regulator would usurp the supervisory power of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

    The president pointed out that the proposed agency would also render the “entire technical workforce of the supervisory ministry redundant”.

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    “The establishment of the road sector regulator as a separate and distinctive body in Part 6 of the bill is capable of rendering the entire technical workforce of the supervisory ministry redundant.

    “The supervisory power of the ministry over the road sector would be taken over by the road sector regulator and will leave the ministry without the power to exercise its supervisory role.

    “I feel the ministry would have little or no desirable role to play in the road sector.

    “This is because ownership and management of roads would be vested in the road sector regulator such that the supervisory powers would be exercised by it, leaving the ministry without any clear statutory function,” Buhari argued.

  • NPA moves to decongest Apapa, Tin Can ports

    The Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) has taken steps to reduce the congestion at the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.

    In a statement yesterday, it said henceforth, there will be an increase in rent-free period for cargoes housed in the terminals.

    It added that from the current period of three free days before commencement of rent charges, it will now be 21 free days before commencement of rent charges and this would be for a period of four months.

    NPA also said there will be an increase in the demurrage free period on return of empty containers from the current five days period to 15 days, also for a period of four  months.

    “Shipping companies should immediately deploy sweeper vessels to evacuate empty containers from the port to clear the backlog of empty containers littering the country within four months. The Authority encourages the use of Onne Ports for such sweeper vessels,” the statement read.

    “The Nigerian Customs Service is urged to immediately commence the process of auctioning of overtime cargoes.  This is imperative as the ports are meant to be transit and not storage facilities. These auctions should be carried out on the spot at port locations and every buyer would be given a stipulated short period to evacuate the cargoes out of the ports after which they will be re-auctioned.

    “Terminal operators are however encouraged to negotiate and grant waivers to consignees to facilitate the evacuation of these cargoes to mitigate against the auctioning which will result in a total loss of revenue by the terminal operator and the loss of cargo by the consignee.

    “The Authority wishes to state that these measures are emergency steps taken to immediately reduce the financial burden of congestion on citizens as the Federal Government proceeds to permanently resolve the congestion through the following: reconstruction of the port access road, the provision of trailer park and holding bays with e-call up system, the enhancement of cargo evacuation using rail transportation and inland waterways with barges among others.”

     

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  • NPA gets new PRO

    Mr Adams Jatto is the new General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communication of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

    The new spokesman holds a Master of Project Management (MPM) degree, PostGraduate Diploma in Shipping Management and Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) certificates.

    Jatto belongs to many professional bodies, among them are the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE); the Institute of Shipping Technology (FIST) and the Institute of Credit Administration (FICA). He is also a Certified Public-Private Partnership specialist.

    The new image maker before his redeployment had served as the General Manager with the Land & Asset Administration as well as the Engineering Maintenance Department.

    He attended International and local training programmes. Some of them include project management course, (Dubai); Port Master Plan (Belgium); capacity building in leadership for development and public good (Kansas State University, United States (US); IP3 Washington DC Labour Relations and Collective Bargaining, Lagos; Corporate Image and Personality Development, Lagos and Managing and Leading Strategic Change, among several others.

    At a time, Jatto was Assistant General Manager, Procurement and Managing Director, Seaview Properties Limited, a subsidiary of NPA.

    The new image-maker has urged members of staff to support him in his quest to boost the image of the authority and its personnel.

    “Collaboration must be the watchword as we navigate the very challenging task of ensuring that NPA takes its place of pride among notable institutions across the world,” he said.

    Jatto also urged officers of the unit to continue to promote the image of the authority and brace to the new vista in line with the change mantra of the Federal Government, urging them to key into the agency’s vision.

  • Sen. Uzodinma denies arrest, remains focused on governorship race

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, has denied reports of his arrest.

    Some sections of the media have reported that the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property arrested the lawmaker on Sunday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja.

    The reports indicated that the chairman of the Panel, Okoi Obono-Obla, said Uzodinma was arrested for failure of his company to execute a contract of 12 million dollars for dredging of Calabar channel.

    However, Uzodinma, Chairman, Senate Committee on Nigeria Customs Service, told newsmen in Abuja, that the reports may not be unconnected with his emergence as a governorship candidate.

    He vowed to remain focused on the governorship race in spite of attempts to distract him.

    He said he would not be distracted by people who were yet to come to terms with his emergence as the governorship candidate in state.

    Uzodinma said: “I was never arrested. I also read it in papers like every other Nigerian.”

    On the contract, the lawmaker said Niger Global, the company that was accused of the complicity, had only two per cent share in the contract.

    “Before I came to the senate, I came from the private sector. I was in oil and gas and marine operations. I operated Niger Global.

    “In 2004 we participated in an international deal and Nigeria Ports Authority was looking for partners to manage the channels and we were lucky.

    “We were one of the companies that formed the consortium to manage Calabar Channels.

    “Calabar Channels Management Company is a joint venture being operated by the NPA. They have the major shareholders.

    “They have 60 per cent shareholding and then the consortium of like six other companies had different shares.

    “Niger Global had five per cent share and there is a five member board, where NPA has three and the consortium of companies two.

    “Before I came to Senate, I was in the board and the technical partners to the consortium dredged the Calabar Channel under the supervision of the Calabar Management Board,” he said.

    The lawmaker expressed surprise that the allegations were coming several years after the contract, adding that it was a clear case of witch hunt.

    “All I know is that some aggrieved persons are behind this, otherwise where was this panel since 2004.

    “I was in the 7th Senate from 2011 to 2015, why did this issue not come out. I have been here in the 8th senate from 2015 to date why didn’t the issue come up.

    Read Also: Saraki describes his resignation call by Oshiomhole as joke

    “To the best of my knowledge, the company worked, even though I am not in the management anymore but I am still one of the minority shareholders of that company.

    “If there is any question that must be answered by the company, the majority shareholder should first answer their own query.

    “If anything, I am a serving senator and a ranking one at that and the Chairman of the Southern Senators Forum.”

    On allegations of non-declaration of asset, Uzodinma said coming from the private sector into politics, he was surprised at the request by the panel.

    “Before I joined politics, of course I came from the private sector that is why I became even surprised when the panel said I should declare my asset for the past 20 years.

    “I have never seen anywhere in any law where private people are made to declare their asset to government,” he said.

    However, he said he obliged the panel by sending his declaration form and copying the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami.

    “The Presidential Committee wrote me sometimes last month asking for my asset declaration form alleging that I did not declare my asset.

    “I replied and attached my declaration form and copied the Attorney General of the Federation whom I suppose they are working under.”

    The governorship candidate said he would not be deterred in ensuring that the people of Imo are liberated from the untold hardship they were subjected to.

    He said: “with what has happened in Imo State, I thought by now, some of these underdogs should repent but they are still plotting.

    “I thought what they would do in the spirit of democracy is to appreciate the fact that some people are now in the party and the party will be better for it.

    “It is not easy to do what I have done in recent times. To make sacrifice, I followed my people and encourage them to be in the ruling party.

    “So name calling, campaign of calumny and all of that is only a distraction. I have been around for sometimes and I understand the meaning of politics and I refused to be distracted.”

    He further denied inducing the APC National Chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, in order to be made the party’s flag bearer in Imo.

    He called on the aggrieved persons and other stakeholders to work together to grow the country’s democracy.

    He added that “some of us believe that this country must grow and we must be given the opportunity to contribute our own quota to national development.”

  • NPA advises importers, agents on trade facilitation

    The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (‘NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, have urged importers and members of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to embrace the trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government and partner its agencies to ensure quick clearance of goods at the ports and boost the revenue profile.

    Delivering a paper titled: “Driving The Change Agenda Through Freight Forwarding”, Ms Usman reiterated the need for importers and clearing agents to embrace the Presidential Order on Ease of Doing Business by following laid down rules and regulations on quick cargo clearance.

    She said there was a need for clearing agents to undergo structural and operational changes in line with the freight forwarding profession, with a view to attaining global standards and best practices.

    Importers and the leadership of ANLCA, she said, must enforce compliance of the ethics and rules governing importation and the profession among members to create a robust working relationship with agencies at ports.

    ANLCA as a major stakeholder in the freight forwarding pro-fession, Usman said, has played tremendous role and impact in revenue generation to the federal coffers and urged them to be compliant.

    Customers, she said, now seek a service that is quick, reliable and flexible and yet offers good price. These components, she added, are associated with an effective system for which the freight forwarders must play a major role.

    “The Federal Government in its determination to reform the country came up with the Change Agenda, which was aimed at restoring the country on the path of growth and development.

    “The port industry through the presidential order on ease of doing business is expected to make its contribution to the success of the change agenda.

    “The port is an international border post and a nodal point for maritime logistics consisting of shipping companies, the port authority and the freight forwarders,” Usman said.

    NPA, she said, had enhanced the functions of freight forwarders in many ways, in order to execute its role in achieving the ease of doing business coupled with the expectations of the World Bank trade facilitation agreement.

    The NPA, she said, has taken the following steps to improve freight forwarding profession in the country.

    • Launching of the provisional, final billing and custom reported module of Revenue Invoice Management System aimed at improving service offering, partner relationship, create efficient payment method, maximise revenue and eradicate loss associated with fraud and revenue leakage;
    • Collaborating with the Nigerian Navy to address the Apapa gridlock;
    • Introduced a call up system for trucks with shipping companies
    • Placement of advertisement for approved trailer parks;
    • Contribution of N1.829 billion to the rehabilitation of the Wharf Road;
    • Introduction of barging system;
    • Achieved the collaboration with Nigeria Customs Service  to introduce the much-awaited Single Window Platform aimed a simplifying and harmonising formalities, procedures and the related exchange of information and documents between the various partakers in a supply chain;
    • Inter-ministerial committee chaired by MD NPA and co-chaired by MD Railway to improve market share of rail system for cargo evacuation.

    “There has been misconceptions about the role of the NPA in the port industry.