The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that port users are yet to take advantage of facilities which the agency had put in place at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC) as part of efforts to create a comfortable environment.
The Apapa port manager of NPA, Aisha Ali Ibrahim said that NPA is yet to receive sufficient patronage from stakeholders since its facilities including; an electronic billboard at Port entrance, a customer service center, food canteen, a hospital, a gym, library, as well as a training room, were commissioned last year .
Shipping Position Daily recalls that the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman had last year commissioned the customer care centre and clinic at separate times, while her executive directors, Mr. Sekonte Davies and Bello Koko had commissioned other facilities.
But, speaking at a stakeholders meeting organised by the NPA in Apapa last week, Aisha Ibrahim lamented that at the LPC, "we have created the customer care unit which handles complaints and suggestions, but we have not seen much suggestions or complaints since we established it, it is right outside the port, and it is meant for us to understand the challenges of stakeholders"
"The electronic billboard which is meant not to serve LPC alone but any interested stakeholder is also there, it is visible at the entrance of the port, but so far, we are yet to see you come to display any information you want for the public. The billboard is very functional and it is meant to serve everybody and not just LPC"
"We have the emergency clinic strategically located just as you enter into the port just after the police station, it is a standard hospital where issues can be treated onb24hours basis, but so far we have handled only a few cases in the night, so please be aware that we have these facilities for you".
Listing other unused facilities, she added: "Again, we have the 24-hour food canteen for everyone, please know that we are improving the port for business and it is where you can stop by and eat. We have a gym also open 24hours, it is on the 1st floor of the main building and we are yet to see people, and indeed health is wealth"
"We have the library which was commissioned last year, we had contributions from terminal operators, NPA personnel so that we can achieve a standard library where everyone can come to. We still need books, information is key"
"We have the training room commissioned last year, a few government agencies have come to make use of it, even though it is not for them we know that we are also there for our sister agencies who sometime use the training room", she said.
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