The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Miami county in the state of Florida, United States of America (USA) have agreed to work together for the infrastructural development of Nigerian ports.
The two parties met at Miami, United States on Monday to discuss areas of mutual interests in development of existing ports and proposed deep sea port projects of the Federal government of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Miami county in the state of Florida, United States of America (USA) have agreed to work together for the infrastructural development of Nigerian ports.
The two parties met at Miami, United States on Monday to discuss areas of mutual interests in development of existing ports and proposed deep sea port projects of the Federal government of Nigeria.
Mrs Ugo Madubuike, the General Manager, Business Development and Joint Ventures of the NPA, who represented the Managing Director of the agency, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, had led the NPA delegation to the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Miami, Florida, where the agency sold the prospects of abundant business opportunities in the Nigerian Ports.
While briefing Marie Gill, the Operator and Executive Director of Minority Business Development Agency, Miami, USA, Mrs Madubuike, declared that the NPA was willing to open its existing ports and the proposed deep sea ports to the American investors for the infrastructural development of the facilities.
She educated her guests on port concession exercise of the Nigerian government and the role of the NPA in the new dispensation.
The NPA chief said the desire of the management of the agency to make the Nigerian ports the leading ports in sub-Sahara Africa was the motivating factor behind its seeking to partner any interested investors who can development the port facilities.
‘’ The NPA is undertaking a gigantic deep sea port project on Private- Public partnership and is willing to open the proposed ports and the existing ones to investors who can take advantage of the abundant business opportunities in the area of dredging and provision of other facilities that will grow the port’’, Mrs Madubuike declared.
She also elaborated on the efforts of the NPA management to enhance the competitiveness and efficiency of the port.
Speaking in the same vein, Engr. Musa Wada, the Port Manager of Calabar port, said the port concession of 2oo6 has attracted a lot of foreign investors who have taken advantage of the liberalization policy of government on port development.
He specifically wanted investors in the USA to come to Calabar port where he said boundless investment opportunities abound.
Marier Gill, who expressed the willingness of her agency to partner the NPA to develop its ports, noted that the Nigerian delegation could not have come at the right time when the US government was focusing its attention on the development of power sector in the Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to her, the Obama Administration has voted $7.5billion to aid the infrastructural development, especially in power sectors of African countries.
She said that the Power Africa summit which was held in April in Miami, was the initiative of the US government to partner African countries in developing their power sectors.
Marie disclosed that Nigeria presented a strong showing at the summit through the Minister of state for Power, Mohammed Wali.
She promised the NPA delegation to help as a bridge between the large clientele of the Development Agency and help attract them to invest in the infrastructural development of the Nigerian ports.
Discussion about this post