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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hadiza Bala Usman has assured that the Authority would play a pivotal role to ensure the Federal Government’s actualizes the drive to promote the export of solid minerals and agricultural produce through the nation’s seaports.
While speaking at the official flag off of the Nigeria Yam Export Programme (NYEP) to the United Kingdom today in Lagos, the Managing Director expressed gladness to be part of the non-oil export through the Port.
“Nigeria is richly blessed in the Agricultural sector and the time has come for the Nation to step up in the area of exportation of yam, being the largest producer of the product in the world”, she said.
Usman also announced NPA’s plan towards prioritizing some terminals strictly for export purposes while assuring that several alternatives are in consideration to ameliorate the challenge of low head room of the three bridges across the lagoon posed by the proposed Ikorodu Terminal.
The NPA Boss however emphasized that the development of intermodal transportation system would help a great deal especially rail link to the Ports which will cover almost 3,500km of existing narrow gauge lines from the South West commercial capital, Lagos to Kano in the North East rail lines.
“While it is important for Nigerians to return to the farm to produce enough yams for both local consumption and export, I assure you that everything would be done to guarantee smooth exportation from the Ports”, Usman added.
