Mixed reactions have continued to trail moves by the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) to concession the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) marine services.
A cross section of mariners who spoke to Shipping Position Daily on the development in Lagos on Monday said that the proposed concession ought to be a Public and Private Partnership (PPP) and not by the BPE in order for the federal government to have a say in marine operations of the agency.
Mixed reactions have continued to trail moves by the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) to concession the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) marine services.
A cross section of mariners who spoke to Shipping Position Daily on the development in Lagos on Monday said that the proposed concession ought to be a Public and Private Partnership (PPP) and not by the BPE in order for the federal government to have a say in marine operations of the agency.
However fresh indications also emerged that the proposed BPE plan will also increase the cost of doing business in the Nigeria ports.
Frontline master mariner, Captain Adewale Ishola explained that the move by the BPE will lead to massive jobs loss as the private hands would want to minimize cost and to maximize profit.
The master mariner stressed that the move will also render the agency ineffective as marine operation is the key function to the ports authority.
He noted that NPA will lose absolute control over port operations adding that the only operation left for it is to collect rents as landlords of the ports.
"The NPA will lose the core marine job they are doing and a lot of things are involved because the maintenance of the channels is under the marine services of the NPA and pilotage ,pilots welfare, training ,disciplines ,will be tampered with."
The hydrographic aspect will be affected and if we want to concession this aspect, are we really ripe for it now, we will also be looking into the area of towage and conveying of pilots from one ship to another, then most especially the cost of doing business in Nigeria will be very expensive".
According to him, towage cost is at the barest minimal and the BPE move to privatize the marine services of NPA which will lead to high cost of business in the country.
He also added that the synergy between NPA and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will collapse. "We are already having challenges on our waters; we are having challenges when government is still in charge and what will happen when you hand it over to private hands".
"Who will NIMASA work with, because at the moment it is easy for NIMASA to work with NPA, but if you privatize who will NIMASA work with as regards port security and I feel we are not ready for that".
But in another dimension, the president of Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Engineer Matthew Alalade noted that the involvement of BPE will enhance marine operations in the country.
According to him, concessioning of the ports in the country has brought efficiency to port operations, but urged the BPE to absorb employees of the agency.
The merchant Navy boss noted that BPE should emulate other countries like Ghana which, with the concession of her ports were able to absorb all its staff.
Discussion about this post