FG To Halt Some Deep Seaport Development

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  Begins Needs Assessment

• Why We Need Bakasi Deep Sea Port – Prof. Ayade

With the scramble for the development of deep sea ports by some states governments and private sector developers across the country of late, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is set to embark on need assessment for the location of deep seaports in relation with the 25years port development master-plan of the Federal Government with the implication being that some may be halted for the greater good of the economy.

Fielding questions from the press during her tour of Calabar Port facilities, the Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman observed that the capacities of the proposed sea ports might not be fully utilized now but the master- plan will determine the appropriate location of the ports with linkages with other transportation modes.

In her words: “We have a 25 years port development master- plan that takes into consideration all the port we need in the country. We will ensure that the ports will be sited according to the needs of the master- plan.

“It is critical for us to have port development across the country but which ever we have, we will ensure that it is in line with the plan”, she added.

Bala-Usman spoke against the background of  the deluge of request for deep sea ports without clear-cut plans for cargo to drive traffic to the ports.

Some of the emerging and proposed deep seaports in the country are: Ibom Deep Sea port in Akwa Ibom; Bakassi Deep Seaport in Cross River State; Agge Deep Seaport in Bayelsa State; Badagry Deep Seaport; Lekki Deep Seaport, all in Lagos State; Gbaramatu Deep Seaport in Warri, Delta State; Olokola Deep Seaport in Ondo State.

The NPA boss also said that the authority was reviewing the legality of the introduction of wharf landing fee as introduced by the Cross River State and Lagos State governments, as it continues discussion with the Cross River State government.

According to her, “We insist on accepting only dollar payment and we have communicated same to the terminal operators. All the concessionaires are already aware that we only accept dollar payment.” Bala-Usman spoke against the backdrop of the controversy of dollar denominated payment for concession charges between the NPA and AP Mollar Terminals (APMT) Apapa Limited.

She equally reiterated the need to carry out a wholistic review of the 10 years old concession agreement, taking into consideration the current business dynamics and breaches from both the terminal operators and NPA, adding that the concessionaires are eager to have their contracts reviewed.

Receiving the executive management of NPA in the State House, last week, the Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, stated that the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport “is actually not a port that will be competing with the existing Calabar Port of Nigerian Ports Authority. It is strategic in the region because it has 16 meters draft and located in a sensitive location with support coming from the Far East”.

Prof. Ayade stated that the proposed port had attracted 100 Chinese firms that are ready to come and establish bonded warehouses, start construction and manufacturing.

According to him, “they are ready to come in as soon as we appoint a transaction adviser. They are asking a huge space for bonded warehouses”.

He added that the people of Cross River State have emotional attachment to the deep sea port because they are “a people who by no fault of theirs have become refugees in their own ancestral home, the people who have been denied all rights that nature gives to humanity. So, Bakassi Deep Seaport is to provide an economic base for them and President Buhari is at the forefront of pushing for the realization of the seaport in Bakassi.

The Governor disclosed that they had secured some Mexican partners who were ready to develop a vast Banana plantation, saying “There is no way we can evacuate these bananas to Europe unless we have a functional inland water ways that can support it, so I see a synergy between the Calabar port and the Bakassi Deep Seaport”.