PORT CONCESSION:

One of the terminal operators in Lagos port; Eko Support Services Limited has bagged an extension of current concession deal.
Speaking exclusively with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos, General Manager of the company Mr Seni Edu disclosed that the terminal operator now has signed a 20 years concession extension agreement to the initial contract which would have terminated this year.
The company currently has a Design Built Own Operate and Transfer agreement with the Federal Government.
Mr Edu also added that Eko Support said has invested a whopping US$130million on infrastructural development, even as he stated that on-going projects at the facility is about 95 per cent completed, he expressed optimism that they will be completed in August 2014.

Speaking specifically on the concession extension, he told our correspondent that, "we will get a new 20 years concession starting this year , now our clients can see what is happening is massive improvement in here"

"We have spent $130 million on development project for 20 years concession beginning from 2014 to 2034 and it is under build, own and transfer agreement".

"We took over in 2008 and since then, we have been pushing for this development thing because we realized early that the facilities we inherited weren't sufficient for the work we needed to do and NPA also were aware of that".

"We had development plans to develop the quayside and the facilities but for funding challenges, government procedures and environmental exercise, they weren't able to do it, they leased the facilities to us and we gave the proposal that we will develop it and after development, we will get a new 20 years which is starting this year, "he said.

He also disclosed that clients are making inquiries about the terminal and what is expected of them, even as he stated that Eko Support Services is known for support services for the offshore oil and gas industry.

Edu also lauded concession agreement, describing it as a success, because according to him, it has brought about efficiency, generate revenue for NPA, sanitise the port environment and has also created thousands of jobs for Nigerians.

The Eko Support top brass also noted that the terminal has invested in cranes of about 200tons capacity, forklifts of about 20tons, trucks for loading and offloading of cargoes and power generating set.