Since you took over at the NPA, what have been the major challenges and achievements of your administration?
Since you took over at the NPA, what have been the major challenges and achievements of your administration?
The last one year has been interesting. We had many things we set out to do. We have achieved a lot of them; some are still in progress, one of which is the proper training of workers for maximum benefits. Nigeria expects so much from the maritime industry and the Federal Government has increased the revenue expectation and collection from the authority. The other issue that is important to us is the port access road, including Tin Can Island access road – the service lane and the one linking Kirikiri. All the Tin Can Island access roads have been addressed. We have taken care of the Lilipond road too at Apapa; the most difficult one was the 1.6km road and we have been able to get the Federal Executive Council to award the contract. We went further to award the port rail track contract. The construction is currently going on. The whole idea is to make it easy to move cargo out of the seaport through the rail. We have also done a lot in deepening our channels and the removal of wrecks. And by June last year, we were able to get a bigger vessel of 13 metre draught into the port, which has given us an economy of scale. One major thing we have done is getting the government to reduce the number of security agencies at the port. The multiple agencies gave us a lot of problem. Many people said the Nigerian ports were too expensive. And the major problem is cargo clearing. We got government to see reasons in reducing the number of agencies at the port. This is not the first time it will be happening. In the past, those ejected had always found their ways back into the port; but with this administration’s commitment, it is going to work this time. Those agencies will be invited when their services are required. We are also putting pressure on the terminal operators to follow strictly what we signed with them on the development plans – in terms of cargo handling equipment, mounting of warehouses in certain areas at the container terminals. Things have improved; vessels are not staying at the port as long as before; the waiting time outside the bar has reduced and turn-around time has become even less than a day. The 48 hours clearance is something we are hoping to achieve and one of the best things the government has done is the 24 hours port operations and clearance of cargo, which has started in all the ports; the Customs now work 24 hours. NPA has been working 24 hours, but the clearance and other things are still waiting. Now that we have 24 hours clearance, we hope that the movement of cargo will be faster and in a short time, we will be able to achieve that.
How are you handling corruption at the ports?
As you understand, the port is a multi agency operation. NPA has set up an anti-corruption unit, which comprises the Customs and other operators, including shipping companies. It is something we are trying to bring to the barest minimum and that is one of the reasons for the concession. This is to make other people to do the job other than the government agencies. This will enable us to check corruption. We have anti-corruption bodies, which are still working with other agencies; their work is to bring corruption to the barest minimum. Corruption is what is making cargo clearance very long, leading to an increase in the cost passed unto the manufacturers and shippers.
What is NPA doing to activate dormant ports like the Calabar Port to decongest Lagos ports?
The issue of dormant ports is an issue of preference of shippers or cargo owners. The cargo owners always dictate where their cargo should be taken to. All NPA needs to do and what we are doing now is to improve the port infrastructure and make it attractive. This will also make the clearance process attractive to importers. They can sign the Bill of Lading for Calabar, Warri or Port Harcourt. The best NPA can do is to update the infrastructure in terms of logistics inside, outside and on the sea so as to make it attractive for people to carry their cargo there. And on deep seaports, since I came in, we have noticed overcapacity at the ports; our ports are designed to handle cargo of about 40 million tonnes. Last year, we handled 80 million tonnes and this year, 100 million tonnes; the ports are over stretched. We have exceeded their designed capacity. The port designs then were the old designs of maximum of 13 or 14 metres draught. Now for you to measure up and remain relevant, we need to attract bigger cargo of 10,000 TEU, to draw about 16metre or 17metre draught. But our ports are not designed for that. So we need deep seaports and that’s the only way the shipping cost will be reduced. That is why we are campaigning and working hard and government is responding to us to see that we have a deep seaport to make the nation remain very relevant in the shipping business in West and Central Africa.
What dredging programme does NPA has for these ports?
For Lagos and Bonny Port Harcourt channels, we have a Channel Management Company working for us and it has given us a lot of improvement in our channels. The maintenance of the channels and the ports is important and the company is doing very well in this area. In future, for all other channels we are going to do, we are not going to dredge them as we did in some of the channels before; we should be able to put a proper management structure in place as part of the contract.
What is the progress on the Calabar port channel dredging?
Yes work is in progress and we have gone far on that.
What about the Escravos dredging programme?
Yes, it is in our budget for 2012. We will ensure that we dredge the Warri Escravos properly.
The Korean Ambassador to Nigeria said they were going to partner the NPA to transform the Ibaka Port. What is the progress report on this?
Yes, on the Ibaka Port, we have got the land. We have consultants working there already to bring out the necessary design of the breakwater. After that, we are going to start the quay design. It is then we will try to design the financial model or business model. Again, we have many countries interested to partner the NPA on this project. China, Poland and Korea are some of the countries that have come forward. The state government has been fantastic too.
Will Ibaka Port eventually replace Calabar Port?
No, Calabar Port will still be relevant. You can’t dredge it more than 10 metres because of the topology of the place. The slope limits us on the scope of the dredging. But Ibaka Port can be dredged up to 20 metres. Ibaka is at the edge of the sea. So Calabar Port will continue to function as a service port.
Will that be profitable?
It is going to be profitable, especially with the oil servicing concerns. We can also put industries there, whose products may be exported.
What are the projects NPA intends to execute in 2012?
I have already listed some of them. They are, among others, dredging of the Calabar channel, reducing of Escravo breakwater, deepening of the channels, and the dredging of Warri channel is coming up too. There are a number of engineering and marine projects as well as port infrastructure development to enable us to meet our revenue target.
What is the progress on the access roads?
On the access road that we are clearing from Mile 2 to Apapa, we will continue. The service lane around the Tin Can Island has been cleared. We must have moved about 500 trailers out of that place in recent time.
What about the empty containers?
The empty containers belong to the shipping companies. They are not on the road; that is what is important to us. We have insisted that every shipping company must have a place for their empty containers, which should be close to the port to enable them to load quickly once the vessel is around.
What are the security challenges at the ports?
They are there, but we are addressing the problem. The situation is under control
Do you have any problem with the port concessionaires?
At the moment, we don’t have any issue with them. There are challenges as we move on, but we are resolving them in line with the current situation.
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