NPA Cancels PH Finger Jetty Plan

The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) has cancelled the procurement proceedings for the construction of finger jetties at Port Harcourt and Calabar Ports among others in the Eastern ports of Nigeria.
The Tide correspondent gathered that the former Managing Director of NPA, Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero, who was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari, initiated the tenders and procurement proceedings of the projects.
It further gathered that the cancellation contained in a notice titled, “Cancellation Procurement Proceedings of some Projects”, that was published last Monday, adding that the cancellation became necessary in order to protect public interest.
The notice reads thus: “This is to inform the general public that the procurement proceedings of some projects advertised in some national dailies and Federal Tender Journals have been cancelled in the public interest.
The affected projects include the provision of rail network at Onne port, upgrading of water supply system at Tin Can Island port, fencing of NPA land in Port Harcourt, Bonny and Finima Islands.
Other projects cancelled also include dry docking of some vessels, and repair and reclassification of its flooding Dock V, supply of photocopiers of various sizes to Rivers, Warri Ports, expression of interest for the appointment of consultants for the valuation of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) assets including lands and buildings.
Also affected were the invitation to tender for provision of computerized access control gates with CCTV system at TCIPC, supply of motor vehicles, conversion of block fence to ISPC code anti-intruder mesh at the Administrative block building control tower, Bakassi office complex and water treatment plant at Lagos Port complex, Apapa, among others.
Meanwhile, some stakeholders have condemned the cancellation of the projects, saying that they were projected to ensure security and give a face-lift to the ports for better business transactions.
The stakeholders, who pleaded anonymity said the present government is not being fair to the Eastern ports that lacked modern facilities to carry out their maritime activities.
They called on the Federal Government to rescue its decision for the good of the stakeholders and the public, because such facilities were lacking in the Eastern port, and they are being deprived from competing with their western ports that have been with maritime business activities.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari sacked the former NPA Managing Director, Sanusi Ado Bayero, on August 13, 2015.