By Hauwa Ali
The managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, has disclosed the authority’s plans to procure Vessel Tracking System (VTS) for port operations in the country, adding t that the authority has sought approval for tarriff hike from minister of transportation.
Bello-Koko disclosed this in Lagos when the Minister of Transportationu, Muazu Sambo, inspected the Lekki Port project recently.
According to the NPA director,thenew tariff regime will encourage transshipment and transit cargoes back to Nigeria.
“We are already in discussion with them on tariff on transit and transshipment cargoes, these kinds of cargoes are sensitive to tariff, it means that it is coming to this port before it gets to final destination. Bello-koko said.
“This discussion is taking place and we would come back to the Honorable Minister of Transportation for necessary approvals that would encourage transit and transshipment cargoes back to Nigeria, this was happening at Tin Can and Apapa on the early daysbecause of the multiple checkpoints on the highway.
“If transit cargoes come here, it would be loaded on smaller vessels from the mother vessels and moved to other countries, this would be of economic advantage to Nigeria.” He said.
He added that approval of the minister on the tariff would be sought when concluded, stressing that the operationalisation of the port before the end of 2022 would help Nigeria take full advantages of AfCFTA.
The NPA boss also stressed that the NPA was in discussions with Lekki Port operators on African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and that the NPA was ready to take delivery of two 80 tonnes bollard pull ASG tugboats and two pilot boats for deployment to the seaports.
