NPA mulls fresh concession of port terminals, operators under watch

Miffed by the parlous state of some port terminals in the country, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has disclosed plans to revoke their concession agreements except the current operators are willing to meet required rehabilitation standards of the authority as the agency said it cannot afford to allow the facilities further deteriorate beyond their present states.

Five affected operators are under watch and have received a six month probation period to enable them comply with the NPA conditions for renewal of license as well as their commitment and obligations to rebuild the infrastructure as stated and agreed in the Port Concession agreements.

NPA managing director, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko said unlike what was obtained in the past, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act has changed the modus operandi of port concession and operations.

Also, he said the NPA told journalists of the agency’s decision to similarly deploy a new traffic monitoring and management app like the Eto E-Call-Up system to act as a competitor to the Eto system currently in operation at Apapa ports.

Mr Bello-Koko said: “Tin-Can Island Port, we all know what is happening there. The port is practically collapsing. We need to focus our budget towards the rehabilitation of those quay walls at the Tin-Can port. We have taken a holistic review of decaying infrastructures at our ports and have decided that it is very important that we rehabilitate Tin-Can and Apapa port.

“What we have done is to start talking to lending agencies, even though we don’t intend to lend.