By Uzor Odigbo
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala Usman, has assured of the authority’s determination to ensure effective service delivery in all Nigerian ports.
She also disclosed that the intention was to make the nation’s maritime sector more competitive and a hub in the sub-region.
Bala Usman, who was represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mohammed Bello-Koko, spoke while receiving members of the House of Representatives Committee on Ports who officially visited the NPA, according to statement by spokesman of the authority, Adams Jatto, on Friday.
The managing director, however, explained that the outfit was working to reduce the dwell time of cargo at the Ports and embrace multimodal transportation through the use of locomotive trains and barges for the evacuation of cargoes in and out of the Ports to the hinterlands.
She said: “Over 95% of the cargoes coming into the Ports are taken through trucks and that is not efficient.
“There must be multimodal means of transportation to include trains and barges in order to reduce congestion and we are working towards this”.
In his remarks, Chairman of the House Committee Garba Datti Mohammad told stakeholders that the visit to the Ports was to avail the committee with the workings of the Ports and find out ways that the House could enhance Port operations.
He thanked the Management of the NPA for the cooperation that the committee has received from the organization noting that this has brought members up to speed as to the operations of NPA.
“It is necessary for members to see things for themselves and also meet with the operators so that we could better appreciate activities and operations of not only the NPA, but also terminal operators and other service providers”.
Mohammad stated further that the visit was to appraise the 2019 budget performance in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government during the presentation of the 2020 budget.
He commended the Management of the NPA for the positive developments in the sector since its assumption of office and assured of the committees willingness to partner with the Authority towards improving the maritime sector given its importance to the national economy.
