Mkpoikana Udoma
02 April 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has announced that a total of 350,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser will arrive the Onne seaport in Rivers State by April 2018.
The Port Manager, Onne Port Complex, Mr. Alhassan Abubakar, who disclosed this in Onne at a stakeholders meeting with the Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Usman, said the fertiliser would come in from Morocco as part of the Federal Government’s National Fertiliser Initiative.
Abubakar also said that the NPA management had dredged two berths at the port for the Federal Government’s fertiliser blending project, adding that this would have a multiplier effect on job creation and revenue.
Meanwhile, Ms. Usman has announced that the NPA was partnering with the Nigerian Navy and Nigeria Maritime Safety and Administration, NIMASA, to tackle the menace of piracy in eastern waterways.
Usman said plans are underway to acquire two 1.7metres offshore monitoring vessels to complement the efforts and make the eastern waterways safe for traffics.
Speaking in a stakeholders forum at the Rivers Port Complex in Port Harcourt, Usman said plans were in top gear with the Nigeria Navy and the office of the National Security Adviser for installation of security systems that would enable NPA to monitor vessels offshore and pick them up when there is distress.
She added that NPA has gotten approval for the procurement and purchase of six patrol boats, which will enable the security agencies to patrol in and around the ports for increase security.
According to her, “The Federal Government is working assiduously to improve the security of lives and properties nationwide to the benefit of everyone.
“NPA will soon acquire more tugboats and construction of six pilot cutters in Onne Port to enhance productivity.
“Procurement processes are ongoing for the purchase of six marine boats, even as NPA is planning to dualized Bonny channel to accommodate more seagoing vessels to increase traffics.”
Usman, represented by the Executive Director, Finance, and Administration, Mr. Mohammed Bello, also said NPA will soon embark on the dredging of Rivers Port to accommodate more vessels.
She assured the stakeholders that NPA will soon embark on concession reviews in the port, adding that a budgetary provision has been made to upgrade facilities at Rivers Port dockyard, which she said was near moribund.
Earlier, the Port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, Mr. Abubakar Umar, in his presentation listed the achievement of the port under his watch, to include responsive management and reduction in vessel turnaround time.
Umar also said that the Rivers Port has recorded improvement in revenue generation and collection, improvement in service delivery and improved safety guidelines.
