*To tackle crime, safeguard waterfront
04 April 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — THE Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has earmarked a total of N1.3 billion of 2017 budget to purchase boats with a view to tackling criminal activities at the waterfronts of the Lagos Ports Complex.
The authority’s Managing Director, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman who made the disclosure said that plans have been concluded to acquire more boats to ensure that the port waterfronts were safe and secured.
A provision was made for the purchase of nine boats at the cost of N150 million per boat in NPA’s 2017 NPA’s budget.
Usman Bala explained that there was the need to enhance security in parts of the ports adding that provision has been made for the procurement of some patrol boats.
She also explained that pending the procurement of the boats, the agency will hire boats to patrol the waterfront in order to ensure the security of the area.
“On security at the waterfront, we have appreciated that there is a need to enhance security.
“In our 2017 budget, we made provisions for procuring patrol boats. There will be patrol boats that will be procured in our 2017 budget.
“We have also instituted a process where we are going to hire patrol that will be patrolling the waterfronts to ensure that there is security.
“We are also looking at how we can provide support to the marine Police, providing them with financial support to enhance the ongoing patrol we have in the waterfront.
“We seek to comply with the International Ships and Ports Security,(ISPS) Code”.
Meanwhile, some personnel of the Port Facility Security Officers (PFSO) Forum have tales of woes concerning the activities of criminals at the waterfront of the port.
They claim that dislodging the criminal gangs within the port area has brought some respite to their operations.
