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Steve Agbota
Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, has restated the Authority’s commitment to the optimal utilisation of Eastern Ports, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s Ease of Doing Business policy.
Speaking while hosting members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc committee on Ports and Habours at the Marina, Lagos head office of the NPA recently, Bala Usman, said that management of the NPA was working with all relevant stakeholders towards tackling the challenges that hamper patronage of the Eastern ports.
According to her, issues that discourage vessel owners from patronising the Eastern ports including the level of insecurity on the waterways, shallow depths, which hinders the movement of big vessels as well as the problems of poor access roads and rail linkages to ports in these areas are being adressed.
On the issues of draught limitations, Bala Usman explained that following the approval of the contract by the Federal Executive Council last year, dredging works have been completed on moving the Warri channel draft to 7.5 metres while consultants have been engaged to advise on level of investments needed to improve the infrastructural capacity of the port in Port Harcourt.
She noted that the Onne ports is currently functioning at full capacity , and informed her visitors that the NPA has granted all requisite approvals for the construction of the Lekki Deep Sea port for which development has started.
