The House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbours on Friday concluded a 3- day oversight visit to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) commending the leadership of Muhammed Bello Koko for achieving “exceptional results” despite various challenges.
Speaking at a press briefing, Chairman of the Committee, Nnolim Nnaji, praised the NPA management for “unprecedented revenue generation and remittance” to the government, along with infrastructure and equipment upgrades.
Nnaji, however, highlighted critical areas needing improvement.
He acknowledged the “level of decay” at various ports, urging the urgent reconstruction of Tin Can Island and comprehensive rehabilitation of Apapa, Rivers, Warri and other key port complexes.
He also expressed concern over the Nigeria Customs Service’s insistence on 100% physical cargo examination, citing it as a hindrance to trade facilitation and “ease of doing business.
While acknowledging the Customs leadership’s efforts, Nnaji pledged legislative support for automating cargo examination with scanners.
He also stressed the need for “multimodalism” in cargo evacuation at the Lekki deep seaport.
“On the way to Lekki Deep Seaport, the Committee got a firsthand experience of the pressing need for the government to ramp up efforts at deploying multi modalism in the evacuation of cargo from the ports to eliminate the delays associated with over concentration on the roads, ” he said.
