One week after the inaugural African Regional Conference of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), stakeholders are admonishing Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to learn from the developments and strategies deployed by other African ports.
Operators lament that despite the prevailing port access traffic problem in Lagos ports, NPA was yet to harnessed other ports in the country to ease the burden of traffic resulting from numerous cargoes at Lagos ports.
The recent IAPH Conference triggered some sense of urgency in the theme of the event , “African Ports and Hinterland Connectivity” compelling participants to attend, while the NPA Managing Director, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman had spoken optimistically about the objectives of the event.
Speaking with MMS Plus newspaper on the outcome of the conference, the Chief Operating Officer at Ecomarine Terminals, operators of Terminal B of Calabar Free Port, Mr. Dayo Balogun admonished NPA to develop the capacity of seaports closer to the hinterlands.
“The theme of the conference and subject matter was apt to resolving the port problems in the country but we found that the emphasis was mostly on Lagos ports. When we talk about hinterland connectivity, we should be talking about ports closer to the hinterland to harness these ports. Ports like Calabar should be given more attention to enhance hinterland connectivity” Balogun said.
Balogun said; “When the Managing Director of Cotonou Port was giving her presentation, part of her captive market is Niger but Calabar port is the nearest to Niger. If you’re going to Cotonou from Niger, you would have to pass through Cameroon. When the Managing Director of the Port of Cameroon was making his presentation, he noted that the North-Eastern part of Nigeria was part of his captive market, yet Calabar port is closer to the North-East of Nigeria. Why not develop the capacity of Calabar to be able to serve as a transshipment hub and a transit base for cargoes destined for the hinterland. When these cargoes berth in these neighbouring countries they pay the duties to the port authorities in the respective nations and the vessels also pay the duties to these port authorities”.
Although the conference which was declared open by President Mohammedu Buhari, was adjudged successful by many participants, it did not seem to have provided any radical solution for Nigeria to deploy in solving the nation’s port sector challenges.
The Ecomarine boss also stressed the need to develop sustainable multi-modal transport linkages with emphasis on rail, inland waterways and pipeline infrastructure, while insisting that the country must have a development plan for the port sector.
“The Port of Dakar has a long term development plan. The Port of Tema is expanding its terminal capacity to 3.5million tonnes. The World Trade Organization representative also excluded Nigerian ports from the hub ports in West and Central African region; however, he mentioned Cotonou, Tema and Lome. Nevertheless, Nigeria has the advantage with its population and its geographical location. These are things NPA must study and make proper amendment” he added.
Recall that MMS Plus published an article titled “Ports, Harbours Connectivity Conference Ends Without Radical Solutions To Lagos Ports Crisis” which aptly describes the conference targeted towards improving hinterland connectivity.
By Kenneth Jukpor
