The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transportation, Senator Ahmed Yerima, has urged the management of Nigerian Ports Authority to streamline the operations of various agencies at ports.
According to the General Manager, Public Affairs of the NPA, Chief Michael Ajayi, Yerima said this during the committee’s oversight function’s visit to the NPA Headquarters, Marina Lagos.
The committee is also on oversight visits to ports in Lagos and other major maritime establishments.
Yerima said the committee members would cooperate and support NPA if it worked in conjunction with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The committee chairman urged the management of NPA to ensure that operations and activities of various agencies within the nations’ ports “are well laid out and undertaking according to the law of the land’’.
Yerima advised the managing director of NPA to ensure that government’s facilities and resources are well protected, adding that the government of the day could not afford wastage.
The Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Usman, appreciated the Committee for its visit and assured that that all necessary logistics had been put in place to make their visit a success.
The Managing Director of Lekki Port, Aresh Vashwani, who was represented by a director in the organisation, John Mastoroudes, told the committee that the visit was long expected.
Vashwani said that over the years, the Lekki Port had surmounted so many obstacles before now, adding that in no long a time, the port would commence operations on day to day basis.
In a presentation, the Port Manager of Lekki Port, Stephen Heukelom, told the lawmakers that Lekki Port is being sponsored by the Federal Government represented by the NPA, the Lagos State Government and the Tolaram Group, the major sponsors.
He said the project, a Build, Operate and Transfer concession would last 45 years.
Heukelom said: “At its peak, it will create job for over 200.000 people working in and around the complex and the port will commence full operations in December 2019.”
Heukelom said the company was gradually impacting on its host community through science challenges and sporting activities for the children of the host community.
He added that that the Lagos State Government recently issued the company a Letter of Comfort to confirm its absolute trust in the project.
Among senators in the committee are: Ahmed Ogembe, Binta Masi-Garba, Olamilekan Adeola, Ovie Omo-Agege and Clifford Ordia.
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