Lagos – The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on Wednesday advised the Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) to shelve plans to review port concession.
The National Publicity Secretary of the association, Mr Stanley Ezenga, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that there had been efficiency at the ports after some terminals were concessioned by the NPA 10 years ago.
“We at NAGAFF do not think review of ports concession should be the idea on NPA`s table for now.
“The ports have been doing better, in terms of efficiency, since the concessionaires were brought in 10 years ago and that is because the investors, mainly foreigners brought in their capital and expertise.
“Now that there have been so much investments by these concessionaires, the NPA now wants to review their agreements with these people,“ Ezenwa said.
He said that the foreign exchange scarcity had affected ports operations, urging NPA to attract forex to the country through new investments for the good of the economy
The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Usman, during her recent tour of Calabar port facilities, said that the port concession agreement would be reviewed.
Usman went on tour of concessioned facilities such as: Intels Logistics Services Nigeria Ltd, Ecomarine Terminals and Shoreline Logistic Ltd, in Calabar port.
She said that the review of the concession agreement would put all players on the same page.
The managing director said that there had been violations of some of the terms of the concession agreements, adding that the concession agreement should be adhered to.
Usman said that the 10-year old port concession exercise “ìs due for a review holistically’’.
She said that the review would broadly examine all facets of the terms of port concession engagement.
The managing director said that the review would cover areas like financing models and the concession environment.
According to her, 10 years after, we have to revisit the concession exercise because we believe it is time to do that.
She said that the management of NPA would reach out to the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to be part of the review.
Usman said that, “As the nation’s economic climate changes, there is need to adjust.’’ (NAN)