Apparently apprehensive about scheduled completion of the Lekki Deep Seaport Project, the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi has charged the promoters of the seaport to double their efforts on the construction in order to complete the project and start operations before the last quarter of 2022.
He also urged the promoters to speed up work to enable government approve all the necessary processes for operations before next election.
The promoters had said that the construction and commercial operation at the port will commence by the last quarter of 2022.
The Lekki Port is being developed by Tolaram and China Harbour Engineering Company.
The Lagos State Government and NPA are also shareholders in the project company.
But, Amaechi who was in Lagos on Saturday during his inspection of the port site in Ibeju-Lekki, in the company of top government functionaries from the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Heads of relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), said the government will want the promoters to double their effort and make the port ready by August, 2022.
The minister however, commended the contractors for the progress of work done so far stating that in less than five months, a lot of civil work had been done.
“I want to congratulate you for the very huge progress, by the time we came here, there were no civil works; it was just pure sand , you have tried.
“I am suggesting that if you work day and night you will go far and complete the work before commissioning. If the President sees it, approval will be easier.
” You need to speed up the work so we can get approval from the government side before election, process of election will be completed in July.
“This is because by law, six months to election people start politics and if you wait till that time, you won’t meet anyone in the office,” he said.
Amaechi, however, said that the port should be automated to avoid all forms of physical contact.
Speaking during the tour, the Chief Technical Officer, Lekki Port, Mr Steven Heukelom, explained that construction work on the project was on course and as scheduled.
He noted that dredging and reclamation works had reached 89.93 per cent completion, Quay Wall 85.65 per cent completion, Breakwater 79.66 per cent completion, the landside infrastructure development 67.82 per cent completion.
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He added that this brings total works carried out on the project to approximately 80 pee cent completion stage.
Heukelom also informed the minister that work had commenced on the marine services jetty, which the NPA would use to carry out their marine services obligation.
He commended the Acting Managing Director, Mohammed Bello-Koko, for the support and partnership in preparing the Port to start operations.
Bello-Koko reaffirmed the agency’s readiness to provide marine services for the ports operations.
To this end, he disclosed that NPA was procuring tug boats and other necessary infrastructure for the smooth take-off of the Port.
In his remarks, the Chief Operating Officer of Lekki Port, Laurence Smith, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering the project by the fourth quarter of 2022.
He noted that the EPC Contractor, China Habour Engineering LFTZ Enterprise, was working day and night to make this commitment a reality.
Smith expressed confidence that the Port, upon completion, would be a world-class port and would become a regional distribution and transhipment hub for the African region.
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