TheNewsGuru

Tag: Seaport

  • Buhari welcomes berthing of first Ship at Lekki Deep Sea Port

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Nigerian Ports Authority on the successful berthing of the first ship at Lekki Deep Seaport.

    The vessel, ZHEN HUA 28, delivered three Ship to Shores (STS) and 10 Rubber Tyre Gantries (RTG) cranes that will help in the evacuation of cargoes from vessels to the shore.

    The president expressed his feelings in a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, on Saturday in Abuja.

    He also congratulated all stakeholders in the maritime sector on the feat.

    Buhari recalled that his approval of four new seaports in the country, including the Lekki Deep Seaport, was hinged on growing the economy.

    According to him, the decision is also aimed at creating massive job opportunities, foreign investment inflows and trade facilitation.

    He commended the staff and management in the nation’s maritime sector who are working round the clock to make the operationalisation of Lekki Deep sea port before the end of the year a reality.

    The president reassured them of his commitment to sustain investments in these new assets.

    According to Buhari, the nation’s maritime and aquatic resources are critical to the livelihoods of Nigerians and the Government will spare no effort in successfully harnessing the potential of the sector.

  • 2023: I will expand Calabar seaport if elected – Tinubu

    2023: I will expand Calabar seaport if elected – Tinubu

    Presidential hopeful, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has promised to expand the Calabar seaport and properly rehabilitate the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) of Bakassi if elected as Nigerian president in 2023.

    Tinubu, who met with APC delegates on Wednesday in Calabar promised to expand the seaport, to attract more vessels into the state for economic growth.

    He said that he was committed to the welfare and social-economic growth of Nigerians, hence the need to give every Nigerian a sense of belonging.

    Tinubu told the delegates that he believed in the unity of Nigeria where each citizen was treated equally.

    “I am standing before you as a very successful man, having been a two-term Governor of Lagos State. I have what it takes to be the next president of Nigeria.

    “Dear delegate, I urge you to vote for me during the party’s primary election.

    “Calabar is a great city; I want to assure the people of this state that I will expand the Calabar seaport for more businesses to thrive through the maritime sector.

    “On Bakassi, I want to assure you all that if elected, I will ensure the proper rehabilitation of the Bakassi IDPs,” he said.

    He also promised to create jobs and promote small and medium-scale businesses.

    Chairman of APC in Cross River, Mr Alphonsus Eba, said it was Tinubu’s effort that moved the APC from an opposition party to a ruling party.

    Eba said that Tinubu had the needed contact, capacity and mass network to change the fortune of the country around.

  • FEC approves dredging of Warri-Escravos seaport for N13bn

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday approved the dredging of the Warri- Escravos seaport for N13 billion.

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, announced this while briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting.

    The approval followed the presentation of the proposal early in the meeting by the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority, Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman.

    “We got an approval for the dredging of the Escravos-Warri Seaport and the replacement of the bad navigational aids. The total cost of the project was N13 billion,’’ Amaechi said.

    The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, also said that the ministry got approval for three memoranda submitted to FEC highlighting the problems in the water and sanitation sector.

    “Ours was policy memo highlighting the crisis facing the water and sanitation sector in the country and the need for government to take action.

    “We highlighted the fact that urban water supply is regressing, access to improved sanitation has decreased over time that we will not be able to meet the SDGs.

    “WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) service in the rural areas are unsustainable, our share of the spending on WASH sector has declined from 0.7 per cent to 0.27 per cent of the GDP in 2010.

    “These are just very far lower than the regional value.

    “We submitted a memo to council asking them to approve an action plan that we have been working on for the past few months on how to redress these issues.

    “And we had three prayers for the council to approve the action plan and for Council to approve that the country should declare a state of emergency on the water and sanitation sector,’’ he said.

    The Minister also said the ministry prayed for the establishment of a WASH fund for the country where the federal and state governments and international donors could put in money for addressing the crisis in the water and sanitation sector.

    He also requested that henceforth the budget for water and sanitation be significantly increased so that the challenges could be effectively tackled.

    “We are grateful that council accepted our prayers and we move on with the action plan going forward,’’ he stated.

     

  • NPA, NCS partner to create ‘single window’ at seaport

    NPA, NCS partner to create ‘single window’ at seaport

    The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA has revealed it is partnering the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS to creating a ‘single window’ platform at the ports for smooth operations.

    This was revealed by the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Balla Usman when she recently paid a courtesy call to the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali in Abuja.

    Usman said the two agencies have embarked on the establishment of SW through an intense automation and introduction of Standard Operative Procedure (SOP) at the port.

    Usman noted further that the adoption of Single Window would make Nigerian ports competitive in the international trade network and boost trade facilitation programme of the government.

    The NPA boss further noted that the synergy on Single Window would boost government revenue and promote public private partnership through the attraction of local and foreign direct investment.

    She said government was aware of its responsibilities to create enabling business environment for businesses to thrive.

    In her words: “The goal of trade facilitation is to help trade across borders, import and export faster, cheaper and more predictably while ensuring its safety and security.

    “Trade facilitation focuses on simplifying and harmonizing formalities, procedures and the related exchange of information and documents between the various partners in a supply chain.”

    “I would therefore urge us not to lose track as well as relentless commitment as to meet the target of Nigeria joining 20 other countries to be in the forefront of implementing an efficient, effective and sustainable single window in 2020, ” Usman said.

    Responding, Customs Comptroller General Hameed Ali said Usman’s visit would lead to regular meetings and constant consultation between the two agencies.

    Ali explained that the NCS would “do everything possible” in promoting the trade facilitation programme of government through collaboration with sister agencies and through robust initiatives to promote business at ports.

    He promised the readiness of the NCS to work in partnership with the NPA to bring about a viable business environment in Nigerian ports.