The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, has emerged the Most Outstanding Maritime Woman of the Year at the Maritime and Offshore (OMIS) Award ceremony held at the weekend in Lagos.
The OMIS award was organised to recognise and celebrate individuals and organisations that have contributed to the development of the maritime industry.
Speaking at the event, Haastrup who is also the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of ENL Consortium, expressed appreciation to the organisers of the award for the honour bestowed on her stating that the award will encourage her to contribute more to the growth of the maritime sector.
She said, “This award will spur me to do more. Being recognised is very good. It gives you the encouragement to want to do better. It shows that you are recognised for your contribution to the industry and I think in the maritime industry as a whole God has helped me to make a mark.
“So being recognised today as the most outstanding woman of the year for OMIS award gives me great joy and encouragement to do better than I am doing.
“The organisers have done incredibly well this being the maiden edition because the standard is really high.”
Other industry stakeholders who were honoured alongside Haastrup include Chairman, Integrated Oil and Gas, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, Chairman, Starzs Investment Company Limited, Engr.Greg Ogbeifun, former NIMASA Director-General, Mrs. Nfon Usoro, and Commercial Manager, APM Terminals, Apapa Temilade Ogunniyi among others.
Meanwhile, the STOAN Chairman has commended the Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mua’zu Jaji Sambo, for his commitment to the renewal of expired port concession agreement.
Hasstrup who condemned the delay in renewal of the concession agreements by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said the delay is sending a negative signal to the international communities about doing business in Nigeria.
She said, “We thank God that we have a new minister who sees the need to get the expired leases renewed quickly because a lot of these concessions ran out over a year which is not really good for business in Nigeria. What it shows the international community is that Nigeria is not a secured place if concessions are not renewed as at when they expire. It doesn’t show confidence to the international community and the minister has seen that and he has given the NPA 45 days within which they need to renew the expired concession.”
According to her, terminal operators in Nigeria have surpassed the expectation of government as enshrined in the concession agreement signed in year 2006 noting that the five terminal operators whose lease agreement with the government have expired, have equally met all requirements.
“All the expired leases have met the concession agreement. We have even surpassed what we are meant to do. This shows that we meant business and we want to turn the port industry around to a world class level and that we have all done.
“NPA can confirm that in all the report they have written. I don’t know of any terminal that has not surpassed their expectations of government as enshrined in the concession agreement.
“So the renewal should not have been delayed for any reason. But I’m very comfortable with the new minister that has given us encouragement and has promised that the leases will be renewed within 45 days,” she said.
