NPA Board members decry condition of port access roads

Members of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have added their voice to the perennial traffic gridlock on the roads leading to the port in Apapa and Tin-Can Island.

While assuring that the Board would continue to identify with all efforts to find a lasting solution to the problem, the members stated that they were aware of the problem being experienced by the Terminal Operators, port users, and the general public as a result of the traffic gridlock.

The chairman of the Board, Emmanuel Adesoye, spoke on behalf of other members of the Board at the end of their tour of the terminals within the western axis, consisting of Lagos Port Complex (LPC) and Tin-can Island Port on Friday.

According to the Board chairman, the management is very much aware of the challenges caused by the gridlock and assured that the NPA is assiduously working in synergy with other government agencies such as the Federal Ministry of Power, Work and Housing (FMWH) in cushioning the pressure on the roads leading to the port.

He said the rejuvenation of rail lines in the port, the call-up system as well as expanding the Port access roads will ease off the problem.

Mr Adesoye reaffirmed that “the Board is conscious that badges are currently being used to transfer cargoes from Tin Can and Apapa Ports to Ikorodu and Kirikiri Lighter Terminals. This, according to him, has drastically reduced the clog on the wheel of progress on the lane to greater service delivery at the nation’s seaports.

The NPA Board chairman stated that on completion, the Lekki Deep Sea Port, which is a product of Public Private Partnership would help in the efficient movement of Cargo. He expressed the hope that the port would be a reference point within the Gulf of Guinea.

Mr Adesoye also reiterated the commitment of the Board and Management of the Authority to provide modern port infrastructure in all seaports in the country, in order to encourage sufficiency in the system.

Earlier, the Port Manager, Tincan Island Port Complex (TCIP), Emmanuel Akporherhe, while welcoming the Board members to the solicited the renewal of the infrastructure around the port in order to facilitate greater customer satisfaction. He said some of the existing infrastructure in the Port are over (40) forty years old.

The Port, according to him, within the first quarter of 2019, berthed a total of 213 ships with a tonnage of 6,778,397 and a Cargo throughput at 4,790, 282, which was an improvement on 2018.

The Port Manager, LPC, Aishat Ibrahim, in her brief to the Board members, informed them of the activities of the Port and the feats it has attained in its operation.