Group advocates for stevedores training, equipment upgrades at Nigerian ports

The P&H Nova Group, a leading player in Nigeria’s maritime sector, has emphasized the need for regular training programs for stevedores and significant upgrades to handling equipment at Nigerian ports.

The Group’s Chairman, Prince Hillary Anekwe, made the call during a media interaction at the end of a staff training program titled “Effective Maritime Personnel Operations Workshop.”

The company offers construction, marine, overhaul, and personal protective equipment to clients in the maritime field.

The training seminar facilitated by Ports and Terminal Management Academy of Nigeria (POTMAN) featured industry experts who underscored the need for regular training, equipment maintenance, and safety compliance as key factors in enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of Nigerian ports.

Speaking, Anekwe stressed that many employees lack a comprehensive understanding of their company’s operations, stressing the need for mandatory training.

He said, “It is quite common that many companies, when you go into their offices and interview their workers, you will find out that almost 50 or 60% of workers don’t know what the company does. They are only interested in their salary.But we make it mandatory that people working with us have to know what we’re doing. ”

Anekwe also emphasized the importance of safety standards, particularly through the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

He noted that P&H Nova Group supplies high-quality equipment and PPE to ensure safety and efficiency just as he stressed the need for security officials to make it compulsory for everyone to use PPE because according to him, PPE is life.

“We are actively involved in the purchasing and supply of handling equipment, and we also sell to port operators both in Nigeria and abroad.

“Our goal is to ensure that these operators have access to the best quality equipment needed to enhance their operations.”

He added, “Apart from the equipment, we supply high-quality Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure the safety of port workers. We have partnerships with several companies in Asia known for producing top-tier PPE products,”

Anekwe also emphasized the importance of training programs in cultivating a knowledgeable and motivated workforce.

“We don’t just supply equipment; we also offer comprehensive training services for port workers on how to operate and maintain these handling equipment. It’s crucial that they understand not only how to use the equipment but also how to keep it in good working condition.

“We believe bringing in more professional people to lecture the port workers is important” he said, expressing his satisfaction with the workshop’s proceedings, ” he said.

Speaking on challenges facing the maritime sector in Nigeria, Prince Hillary noted that the country’s ports lack the depth to accommodate larger vessels, which limits business opportunities.

“In Nigeria, our port depth is around 14.8 meters, while in Ghana, it’s about 18.4 meters. Deeper ports allow for more ships, which means more business,” he said.

He called for the construction of more deep-sea ports across the country to decentralize maritime activities from Lagos and stimulate economic growth in other regions.

On his part, Regional Managing Director, P&H Nova Group, Mr. James Kitiya,
highlighted the need for continuous skill enhancement among stevedores and port operators.

He suggested conducting training sessions at least once or twice a year to keep operators updated with industry practices and safety protocols.

“Even if you’ve been working for 18 years on handling equipment, you need to refresh your skills and mindset,” he said.

“Different companies offer training, and their people are doing well. Each port should provide training sessions every year or even every six months. During these sessions, we show them incidents that happened at other ports, ask about their challenges, and discuss performance issues.

“Often, they can’t speak openly to management, but they can share their thoughts with us as external experts.

“For instance, in another port in Nigeria, the complaint was about the stevedoring company not performing well.

“However, this stevedoring company is one of the best in Nigeria, ” he said.

Mr. Kitiya also addressed the issue of equipment maintenance, pointing out that while Nigerian ports are relatively well-equipped, there is still room for improvement.

He, however, commended the Lekki Deep Seaport as being the most sophisticated in terms of port handling equipment.