The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said policies introduced in the past one year have attracted investments running into billions of dollars into the sector. This is contrary to claims by the Committee of Maritime Professionals (CMP) that NPA’s current management under Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman is hindering investment in the sector as a result of some of the its reform policies.
CMP’s allegation was published in the June 3, 2017 edition of THISDAY, The Saturday Newspaper with the headline: “Stop Your Anti-Port Investors’ Campaign, CMP Counsels Usman”
In a statement issued in Lagos NPA explained that initiatives taken by the Authority in the past couple of months have attracted investments worth US$86,810,000.00(86 Million, eight hundred and ten United States Dollars), from the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) at the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
The statement, entitled: “We are working in Nigeria’s best interest,” signed by. I. S. Nasiru, a Principal Manager, Public Affairs at the Authority added: “In the same vein, the NPA is currently working with DP World to actualise the organisation’s determination to invest in Greenfield port opportunities in this country. The plan is to develop a DP World Terminal in the Lagos area and a suitable site is currently being sought. Both the brownfield as evident in the agreement on the Bulk Terminal and the Greenfield are investments worth billions of United State Dollars.”
It stated further that Tanger Med Port of Morocco has equally indicated interest to invest the development of Greenfield Terminal, Logistics Base and warehousing and a variety of other opportunities running into billions of dollars.
Nasiru explained that all policies and procedures introduced since the appointment of Ms Bala-Usman are borne out a firm commitment to actualising the change agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. It assured that in its enthusiasm to improve the ease of doing business and increase revenue accruable to the country from its operations, the NPA is guided by global best practices and a sense of fairness to all stakeholders in the industry.
While commending the CMP for its patriotic zeal which must have inspired its statement, NPA invited all stakeholders in the maritime sector to work together in the best interest of the industry and the nation at large.
“The NPA believes that making the best of the vast opportunities that our maritime resources offer can only be derived from working together towards the same purpose. Nigeria stands to gain a lot from our unity and we appeal to all stakeholders in the maritime sector to let us work in unity for the prosperity of our country,” the statement concluded.
