The Port Consultative
Council of Nigeria (PCCN) has urged the Federal Government to complete the ongoing deep seaport projects in the country as it will facilitate international trade expansion.
The Chairman of the council, Chief Kunle Folarin, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos recently
The Tide reports that work is currently ongoing at the Ibaka deep seaport in Akwa Ibom and the Lekki deep seaport in Lagos.
Similarly, construction work is on at the Olokola deep seaport and Free Trade Zone between Ondo and Ogun, with a deep seaport being proposed for Badagry in Lagos.
Folarin underscored the importance of infrastructure to the successful operation of the deep seaports.
“Deep seaport development is critical to our ability to deliver on international trade.
“As it grows, the infrastructure to support this particular enterprise, becomes a fundamental issue.
“Within the infrastructure, also, there should be a renewal and modernisation of the port system.
“The modernisation of the port system includes the basics, which are the civil areas of berth, the areas of telecommunication, and the area of power in the port system so that the port can work in a desired 24-hour regime.
“Without power, the equipment will not work to satisfaction; without power and illumination, all the working areas in the port and onboard the vessel would not be easily achieved.
“So still on infrastructure, he has to look at issue of the scanning machines. Although, done directly under him, it is a responsibility of the customs and that means the Ministry of Finance.
“Since the port is an operational area under his purview, he must also look at a critical infrastructure that is necessary to perform optimally in the port system.
“The terminal operators working in the port system; the haulage contractors supplying trucks for evacuating and delivering cargo into the port must also modernise and provide the infrastructure to deliver optimally in the port.
“Also the inter-modalism that is required in the port system.
“The railways must have the necessary equipment, which include wagons – such equipment that will allow for the evacuation of cargo from the port, particularly containers and tanks.
“So it will relieve the road network of the stress and the investment that it will demand.’’
He stressed the need for Nigeria to focus on how to take advantage of the volume of cargoes via international trade.
Folarin said this could be done when indigenous shipping companies transport cargoes for Nigerian shippers from the various ports of origin,
He said it was critical and important that “Nigeria takes part in industrial trade” in countries such as North and South America, Middle East, Sub-Sahara Africa, Asia and others.
Folarin also called for the use of information technology in the operation of the seaports.
He spoke of the need to look at port charges and determine whether the charges were commensurate with the services provided at the ports.