The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has promised to give maximum cooperation to the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and Terminal Operators at the nation’s seaports in their efforts at enhancing the growth of Nigeria’s economy.
A statement by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogu, said that the Managing Director of the NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi gave this assurance Tuesday at a meeting when the House of Representative Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation visited the Headquarters of the NPA as part of its oversight functions.
The meeting which had officials of the (BPE),Ports and Cargo Terminals and the JPS Terminal formerly known as JosepDam ,was held at the conference room of the NPA.
The meeting which was at the instance of the House of Representative committee on Privatisation was a follow up to an appeal from Ports and Cargo Terminal to the NPA on some challenges they were facing as concessionaires.
Mr Tunji Olusinde, the spokesman of Ports and Cargo Terminal and General Manager, Legal Services said the challenges would be handled if they could secure a reduction on the lease agreement fees and the renewal of their concession tenure.
The Managing Director, NPA in his comment noted that the concession was a deliberate effort by Government to improve the way business was being done.
Mallam Abdullahi recalled that the concession process which had been adjudged to be free and fair was bided for competitively by various interests and that it was important that along the tenure of the concession, concessionaires adhered to the terms of agreement in order to sustain the credibility of the process.
Earlier ,the Chairman of the Committee ,Honourable Ahmed Yerima, disclosed that the committee was out to assist the executive arm of Government in formulating a wholesome strategy that will be beneficial to the Nigerian economy especially now in view of the dwindling government revenue from the oil sector.
Honourable Yerima, added that the world economy was heavily dependent on private sector participation and that all bureaucratic bottle necks that would hinder the growth of the economy should be removed by all stakeholders.
He called on BPE and the NPA to collaborate and sit with all concessionaires in order to move the economy forward.
In his submission, the Director, Transport of the BPE, Mallam Yusuf Adamu told the committee that the BPE had received the appeal from Ports and Cargo and that it was being studied.
He assured that a position paper would soon be submitted to the National Council on Privatisation and the NPA.
It would be recalled that the entire delegation had visited the facilities of Port and Cargo owned by Sifax Group as well as Josepdam Ports Services, the previous day.
