Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Ms Hadiza Bala Usman has revealed that agency is instituting processes that will ensure that the concession agreement it had entered into with Terminal Operators in 2006 is reviewed.
Hadiza dropped the hint in Cross Rivers State on Wednesday at the commencement of a two-day familiarisation tour and inspection of terminal operators facilities at Calabar Port.
The NPA boss visited terminal operators; ECM Terminals Oil and Gas Logistics, INTELS as well as Shoreline Logistics Nigeria Limited.
While on an inspection of the terminal operators’ facilities, Ms Hadiza stressed that NPA is taking steps to ensure that the concession agreement it had entered into with terminal operators in 2006 is reviewed.
She charged the terminal operators to live up to expectations in their financial obligations to the NPA as the agency under her watch is ready to shore up government revenue and block all loopholes.
"You are not doing us a favour by paying us (NPA) our financial entitlements; you are making gains so you must fulfil your concession agreements"
"Some of you have been owing us and this is why we are desirous of reviewing our concession agreement" she said.
After listening to the operational challenges of the terminal operators which are based mostly on low draft of the channel, the NPA boss assured the operators that their outlined challenges will be addressed by NPA.
Earlier, she had visited the Governor of Cross Rivers State, Senator Ben Ayade who assured that the state would support the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in ensuring that Calabar Port dredging is carried out, and also ensure that complete functionality of the proposed Ibaka Deapsea port starts in earnest.
Ayade assured that the State would assist the NPA by providing enough supervision for the dredging of the Calabar channel, and to ensure that the contractor is moved to site.
The Governor who was a member of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport in the last administration recalled that the Calabar Port dredging has been a recurring issue. He however expressed hope that with the coming on-board of Ms Hadiza, the dredging of Calabar Port channel would be actualised.
He said that the completion of the Ibaka deepsea port rests largely on the completion of the Calabar channel in order to allow Calabar Port serve as transit point for mother vessels which are envisaged to call at the Ibaka port.
Governor Ayade informed the NPA boss that the Ibaka Deepsea port approval processes have recently gained momentum, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari has indicated personal interest in ensuring that the port comes on stream.
Giving a report of the current stage of the Deepsea Port process, he said government is at a stage of appointing a transaction adviser, after which some investors who have shown interest in the developing the project would be allowed to come in.
"President Buhari has given his word and commitments and support for the port project”
“He has kept faith and insisted on quarterly report on the progress"
"The ministry of transport has been very supportive and pushful and we are at the stage of getting a transaction adviser"
"We also thank you (NPA) specially for sending your team in the steering committee; they have been very supportive and energetic.
This is one of the fastest seaport approval processes we have ever seen"
"It is our strong conviction that we would also ensure supervision to ensure that the contractor is mobilised to sight so that the dredging will begin in earnest"
"Our strong hope is that, most grandmother vessels would be berthing at the deep sea port, so we would like to lighter their cargoes at the existing ports, but unfortunately, the maintenance dredging of the Calabar port channel has always been a challenge"
"I believe that if we get the Calabar port working, it would serve like an inland port to support the vast agricultural and natural resources we have in Rivers State, it would serve as a transit port for the mother vessels that would be berthing at the Ibaka deep sea port" Ayade stated
The governor described President Buhari as a man integrity who kept faith and kept insisting that there should be regular reports on progress being made on the proposed Ibaka deep seaport.
Ayade described the contributions of NPA toward the deepsea port as wonderful.
The governor also commended President Buhari for appointing a young, dynamic and youthful managing director for NPA.
Ayade said that the fact that the managing director of NPA
made Calabar her first port of visit, underscored the fact that the “Bakassi deep seaport is a reality’’.
He said, “It is a clear indication that the young people have to take charge.’’
“This is one of the fastest seaports under construction. The port will have a draught of 16 metres to attract huge cargo traffic,’’ Ayade said.
He reiterated that the Ibaka Deepsea Port has a draft of 16meters and located in a sensitive location to attract major traffic from the harbours and Far East.
Already, he said a group of 100 Chinese firms are ready to come in to develop bonded warehouses as well as to start construction and manufacturing, warehousing and exportation at the Bakassi deepsea port
He revealed that the largest banana plantation in Africa is being developed in the state but that there is no way of exporting it's produce to Europe unless the inland waters are developed.
Speaking earlier, MD of NPA, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman assured Governor Ayade that the NPA will collaborate with the state and also ensure increase in cargo traffic that is attracted to Calabar port.
"We will ensure that traffic is increased to Calabar Port, and also ensure that we and the state government partner in having sustainable development of the port" she assured.
Hadiza also assured that the NPA would interact extensively on the way forward on the development of the Ibaka deepsea port.
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