Apparently determined to ensure a safer and more secured ports, the Nigeria Port Authority [NPA], has called on stakeholders in the maritime industry to comply with the security measures at the entry gates of the two ports in Lagos state.
Apparently determined to ensure a safer and more secured ports, the Nigeria Port Authority [NPA], has called on stakeholders in the maritime industry to comply with the security measures at the entry gates of the two ports in Lagos state.
Speaking at a one day stakeholders’ meeting at the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos yesterday, the Assistant General Manager, security at the Nigeria Port Authority [NPA], Mr. Samuel Asamagie who represented the Port Manager; Mr Joshua Ashanga at the forum urged all port users to comply with security checks at the ports.
He stated that some of challenges at the ports resulted as the influx of human traffic and as a result much emphasis will placed on checking the port users at the gate before they gain access into the port environment.
Asamagie reiterated that security at the gate will be fortified adding that such measure will lead to 80 per cent reduction in some of the challenges being confronted at the ports.
He also stressed that there will be thorough checks at the gate of Tin Can Island Port and the Lagos Port Complex and called on stakeholders to summit themselves to checks at the entry gates of both ports.
‘’If we all expose ourselves to checks at the access gate ,I can assure us that it will eliminate a lot of problems at the ports in Lagos ,it may be create a lot of inconvenience, but I want to say that it is better to suffer a little inconvenience than suffer the consequences that will follow”, he told the stakeholders.
According to him, the Nigeria Port Authority has put in place measures to address issue of stowaway and attacks on vessels, which, he acknowledged as security challenges to the nation’s ports.
He added that the authority has challenges in deep sea security, but noted that arrangements are in top gear to address issues, such as pirate attack as plans are on going to ensure that the Nigeria Navy and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency [NIMASA] are provided with vessels to further secure the territorial waters.
He urged stakeholders and port users to report any suspicious movement or presence of an abnormal device to the security officers in the ports or at the gate.
‘’We are lucky in our ports because we have not witnessed any attack in the ports therefore we must give kudos to the entire security officials at the ports, but in other to sustain that, we need your cooperation,’’ Asamagie stated.
On his part, Port Security Officer of the Lagos port Complex, Mr. Anataku Subaru revealed that plans are on going to introduce port pass to stakeholders to regulate the influx people into the ports.
‘’We are going to introduce port passes for agents and the passes we will issue will be based on the authority by customs and they are the people we are going to recognize to access our ports and the customs will give you a letter of authority that you have in your name and photographs of your various companies which we are going to recognize’’, Subaru stated.
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