The Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA,) Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman has said Nigeria sea ports have spent about $15 billion on equipments which have helped in the influx of goods and discharging of services into the country.
He said the inflow and discharging is about 85 percent for now.
She said this at the handing over of a book: “Footprints of President Muhammadu Buhari in the Maritime Sector,” written by the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), in Lagos.
The Managing Director explained that it is undisputed that the Maritime Sector is the key player of the economy, together with the oil and gas sector, the nation’s central component and very likely relies on the sea.
The book accounts the responsibilities of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), and the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRIFFIN) rewritten by NSC’s Hassan Bello, and NIMASA’s Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
Dr Sekonte Davies, the Executive Director, Marine and Operation, acted for the minster, stated that the current government has admit the role of maritime sector to the economy, and will put more instruments in place to guide the company including 25-reform plan, which is presently being follow
She noted that: “Nigerian ports are a major gateway into the country with over 85 per cent of all the goods and services coming into the country, exploiting facilities at the nation’s seaports with aggregate value exceeding the $15 billion mark annually.”
She disclosed that, this administration has made key strides to make the maritime industry better in the last three-and-half years.
“The truth is that it would be impossible to speak about all the steps that have been taken to improve the maritime sector within the past three years”, she added.
Chairman, Board of Trustees, SCAN, Bolaji Akinola, Explained that the book was made by the association to appreciate the commitment of government to advance the maritime industry, and to perform our duties as the pillar for research or remark charter for the time to come age group.
Mr. Akinola started with facts that the high organizational problems hitting the sector will be resolved by the current government.
He said the Port does not have scanners, bad road networks, no rail transportation to move cargos from the ports and non functional interior container spots.
As reporters of the government, these are some of the issues the present government is aiming to fix in a rush.
The chairman stressed that a group has written a lot of reports on attempt to solve more problems affecting the government, on the bad state of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron; lack of seatime experience for Nigerian cadets; lack of access to finance by indigenous ship owners; safety and security on Nigerian waterways, and more.
He said:”With the level of commitment shown by this administration, we have no doubt at SCAN that Nigeria will emerge among the top 20 maritime economies of the world in another four years”.
