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| NPA MD, Malam Habib Abdullahi |
Managing
Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Malam Habib Abdullahi has advocated
for the provision of adequate port infrastructure by the Federal Government and
the private sector to facilitate export activities through the nation’s
seaports.
In a press
statement signed by the General Manager, Public Affairs of the NPA, Capt.
Iheanacho Ebubeogu, Abdullahi pointed out that other factors which might be
extraneous to the Authority are also critical towards achieving enhanced export
activities in the nation’s seaports.
Stressing
that the provision of appropriate port infrastructure was necessary to enhance
trade in the economy, Abdullahi assures that the Authority would encourage any
effort designed to change the trade orientation of the nation from import
dependent to export.
Abdullahi who
spoke through the General Manager Capital Project, Engr. Rufai Mohammed in a
paper titled “Providing Enabling Port Infrastructure to Enhance Trade” at the
just concluded two day International Seatrade and Investment Convention (ISIC)
2015, under the theme “Exploring New Trade Frontiers”, emphasised that for a
seaport to be competitive, it must have a robust infrastructural base amongst
other requirements.
He argued
that with the major infrastructural improvements embarked upon by the Authority
in its ports and harbour in all its four pilotage districts, coupled with the
impending 25 year port master plan which has reached an advanced stage, the
organisation is being positioned to properly meet the demand of all categories
of port users for both imports and exports.
Abdullahi
explained that mindful of the federal government determination of delivering an
efficient port system for the overall good of the nation’s economy, the
Authority was consolidating and entrenching the gains of the port reform by
facilitating and synergizing the activities of the Private Terminal Operators,
Shipping Lines, Freight Forwarders and other stakeholders, as well as improving
the existing port infrastructure.
He enumerated
a number of completed and on-going capital projects embarked upon by the
Authority and explained that the projects were meant to add efficiency to the
nation’s seaports as well as to make the system competitive, effective and user
friendly.
“Sustained
efforts at providing the enabling port infrastructure has impacted on the
overall port operational efficiency”, he added.
In his
goodwill message at the opening ceremony of the convention, the NPA boss had
commended the conveyors of the event, being the first of its kind in nation’s
maritime industry for their fore-sight and said it would not have come at a
better than now “as the nation strives to promote export trade, in that way
changing the orientation of our nations sea trade which is import dependent”.
