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Truck operators clamour for return of Presidential Task Team on Apapa gridlock —-say ETO has failed them

Eyewitness reporter
Following the failure of the electronic call-up system of the Nigerian ports Authority (NPA) to address the malignant Apapa traffic gridlock, truck owners across various unions and associations have called on the Federal government to bring back the disbanded Presidential Task Team (PTT) on Apapa gridlock.
The distraught truck owners, who are currently reeling under the agony of resurgent traffic gridlock, lamented that the much-vaunted ETO platform introduced by the NPA has been compromised and riddled with corruption which has made it fail to address the vexed traffic logjam.
They, therefore, appealed to the Federal government to recall Kayode Opeifa- led task team to come to their rescue.
The operators, who spoke with our  Correspondent over the resurgent traffic gridlock, claimed that the traffic was better managed by  PTT  than the so-called managers of ETO.
It would be recalled that the Presidential Task Team, chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and coordinated by Comrade Kayode Opeifa, was disbanded following series of allegations of corruption after over one year in operation.
The management of Apapa traffic was thereafter automated with the introduction of the ETO platform being driven by the NPA, Lagos State Government, and police.
However, the e- call-up system was effective within the first two weeks of operations before it completely collapsed, leading to the clamour for the return of the disbanded PTT.
The Coordinator, Committee of Maritime Truck Unions and Associations (COMTUA), Olaleye Thompson, bemoaned the harrowing experience of members of the union over the traffic in Apapa after the disbandment of PTT.

He added that as a result of the failure of the e- call-up system and lack of solution in sight, the group has issued a 21- day ultimatum to the government to either fix the problems or the members will embark on industrial action.

The ultimatum lapses on Thursday, 10th June 2021.

Olaleye said members of the group from different unions and associations that make up the body have started approaching the leadership of the union to prevail on the federal government to bring back the Opeifa- led task team.

According to him, the team was already getting it right before it was asked to quit even as he accused the government of not allowing the operators of ETO to learn from the team before it was disbanded.

“Opeifa had a passion for this job and I can say it anywhere. The man was not collecting money from anybody,  that is why anytime I read it in the papers where people are accusing him of corruption, I felt it was not true because people can use your name to do anything but not Opeifa, not Odumosu, not even Suleiman”

“That is why most of the union members come to me and start agitating that we should tell the presidency to bring the President-General task team, that they support it.

“If Government wanted to succeed abinitio, they should have arranged a merger between TTP and outgoing presidential team and allow the presidential team to midwife the operation for like six months,stabilise the system and then withdraw them but there was no link between them.

“There was no synergy between them meanwhile Presidential Task Team had already understood the system, they should have allowed them to show them the way, nurture them and show them the way and all these things we are experiencing would have been a thing of the past because it was Opeifa that suggested that there should be TTP.”

It could also be recalled that the Acting Managing Director of NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, had accused the managers of ETO of unbridled extortions, saying there are about 30 extortion toll collection points between Tin can and Apapa ports.

Meanwhile, Olaleye has also condemned the slow pace of work on the port access road, saying the project was taking too long to complete.

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Exclusive! Hope rises on take-off of proposed $3bn Badagry Deep Seaport as NPA, APMT resume discussion

 

The eyewitness reporter
Barring any last-minute hitches, the proposed Badagry deep seaport project may soon be on the stream as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has resumed discussions with the lead promoter of the multi-billion project, APM Terminals’ Global investment limited.
The investors/ promoters led a team to the NPA headquarters last Wednesday where they met with Mohammed Bello-Koko, the NPA Managing Director, and his management team.
The discussion centered on the take-off of the Badagry project which was conceived in 2016 to take the pressure off the overstretched Lagos ports.
The investment team was led by Martjin Van Dongen, the Global Head, Business Development of APM Terminals Global investment limited.
An elated Bello- Koko revealed that the two teams discussed how to optimize the potentials of the Badagry Deep Seaport.
“Discussions focused on optimizing the potentials of the upcoming Badagry Deep Seaports and other new ports as NPA Management intensifies action toward the vision to make Nigeria the maritime logistics hub for sustainable port services in Africa”
It could be recalled that the Federal government in 2016 conceived the idea of developing deep seaports in the country to position Nigeria as the hub of maritime activities in the West African sub-region.
The proposed deep sea ports project include Lekki deep sea port, which has already taken off, the Ondo deep sea port, Ibom Deep seaport and Badagry deep seaport.
While preparations for the takeoff of both the Ondo and Ibom sea ports projects are in top gear, that of the Badagry project was initially bogged down by technicalities and disagreement between the NPA and the promoters of the project.
The Badagry deep seaport project is an initiative of a consortium led by APM Terminals, Orlean Invest, Oando, Terminal Investment Ltd and Macquarie.
However, in November 2012, APM Terminals and its consortium partners announced plans to develop the Badagry deep seaport.
In 2020, the NPA disclosed that the promoters paid $500,000 as a commitment deposit into an escrow account to signify their commitment towards the port project.
However, the NPA kicked against the initial Outline Business Case for the port, which has been reviewed to include the suggestions of the Ports Authority.
The Federal Government however has approved a concession arrangement for the development of the Badagry deep seaport project over a period of 45 years.

The approval was finalised following a presentation by the Federal Ministry of Transportation at the Federal Executive Council (FEC)  during the last administration of President Mohammed Buhari.

According to officials, the port is expected to generate $53.6 billion in revenue over the 45 years concession period.

The proposed site of the project is located 55km west of Apapa and the port of Lagos, along the 55km long Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which is being upgraded from a four-lane to a ten-lane expressway.

The port is expected to have an annual throughput capacity of 1.8 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

The proposal for the project was announced in 2012. Feasibility studies have been completed and construction works are yet to start.

The project will be implemented in four phases, with the overall project cost estimated to range between $2 billion and $3 billion.

Also, it is expected that the new port will primarily ease pressure on the existing ports of Lagos, Apapa and Tin-Can Ports, which handle approximately 85 percent of the country’s non-oil throughput.

It will further alleviate the burden on the country’s existing ports, which are on the verge of exceeding their cargo handling capacities, and address the country’s annual container traffic, which is expected to grow to 10 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units by 2030.

When fully built, the deep-water full-service port will be one of the largest in Africa with 7km of quay and 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of dedicated yard. It will include state-of-the-art facilities for container, bulk, liquid bulk, Ro/Ro and general cargo as well as oil and gas operations support and a barge terminal.

Plans for the adjoining Badagry Free Trade Zone will include a power plant, oil refinery, industrial park and warehousing and Inland Container Deport functions.

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Jamoh, Bello- Koko, serial award winners, bag National Productivity merit awards

Bello-Koko, Jamoh, NPOM award winners
 The eyewitness reporter

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, is gradually turning into a serial award winner as he has landed yet another plaque of honour from the federal government.

Not left in the harvest of awards which was a reflection of their value-addition in their various endeavours is Mohammed Bello-Koko, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) who is also a recipient of the National Productivity Diadem and a fellow serial awards winner.
Added to the already crowded roll call of honours of Jamoh is the National Productivity Merit Award conferred on him by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity to recognize the invaluable contributions of the NIMASA DG to the development of the maritime industry.
To underscore his sterling leadership qualities as the DG of NIMASA and his roles in the current revolutionary trend in the maritime industry, the federal government nominated Dr Jamoh as a recipient of the 2021 National Productivity Order of Merit, NPOM, Award.
In a letter of the award signed by Dr Nasir Olaitan Raji-Mustapha, the Director General/CEO of the National Productivity Centre, Abuja, there are five categories of the awards.
Jamoh was listed among the 35 recipients under the category of 2021 Individual Awardees while Bello-Koko was listed among the 36 recipients under the category of 2022 Individual Awardees.
To share the limelight with Jamoh in this same category of the award is the Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Agency, Hon. Chudi Offodile, while the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdalene Ajani will share from the euphoria with Bello-Koko under the same category of  2022 recipients of the award.
The official conferment ceremony is scheduled for Monday, June 5, 2023.

An excited Jamoh expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, noting that it is a call to greater service to our Fatherland.“I am spurred by this award, particularly as it is coming from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, which underscores the ministry’s role in ensuring reward for hard work and productivity in public service”

“Let me also use this opportunity to dedicate the award to the industry’s stakeholders; external and internal, as they have made our work easier as an administration.

“We will continue to strive to make the maritime sector a viable economic driver, especially with the Blue Economy mantra, which is critical to the sustainability of the maritime sector”, Jamoh said.

Commenting the on the selection of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the DG said it is a well-deserved honour, as she has remained a core professional and astute administrator in the coordination of activities in the Ministry and the Agencies under the supervision of the Ministry.

“I am not surprised by her selection, as she is an administrator par excellence and has remained resolute and professional in the discharge of her duties.

“Little wonder she is commonly referred to as the “Head Mistress” of the Ministry and the Maritime Sector”. I congratulate her on the well-deserving award.
In the same vein, the NPA MD expressed appreciation to the Federal government for the award and said that the recognition will further spur him on to put in his best in his resolve to turn the rich maritime potentials of the country into actualities.
”I will like to express my profound appreciation to the Federal Government for the honour of being conferred with the National Productivity Order of Merit Award.

”This conferment can only spur me and the entire team at the Nigerian Ports Authority whose commitment to exceptional performance culminated in this recognition, to continue pushing the limit and advancing the frontiers of trade facilitation.

”Imbued with the understanding that excellence is a moving target, I want to seize this moment to assure that we will not rest on our laurels in our resolve to turn our rich maritime potentials into actualities’, an elated Koko declared.

The National Productivity Order of Merit Award was instituted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to recognize and honour productive individuals and organizations in Nigeria in the year of the award for achievements made in the preceding years.

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Shippers’ Council bestows on APMT certificate of registration as regulated service provider at ports

Emmanuel Jime
The eyewitness reporter
AP Moller Terminals led by its Vice President, Mr. Martijn Van Dongen, has led a four-man delegation of the company to the management of the Shippers’Council to receive recognition as a certified regulated service provider at the Nigerian Ports.
This recognition was bestowed on the terminal operators during the visit of his top management staff to the economic regulatory agency at Apapa Friday.
Dongen said the essence of the visit was to strengthen collaboration with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the port’s economic regulator.
APMT received its certificate to operate as a regulated service provider during the visit.
Chinenye Deinde, the Legal Adviser and Head of Corporate Affairs of APMT also called on NSC to pursue the National Transport Commission (NTC) Bill, stating that it has the potential to sanitize the maritime sector.
In his response, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NSC, Rt. Honourable Emmanuel Jime said that the Shippers’ Council is working on the review of its enabling Act which he believes will strengthen the agency in its role as port economic regulator.
According to him, the Federal Government is committed to making Nigeria an investment haven for foreign investors while encouraging local entrepreneurs to be creative in growing the economy.
“The strategic location of this country on the African continent makes it a trigger for investments”, the NSC ES/CEO concluded.
Mr. Dongen was accompanied on the visit by Mr. Klaus Holm Laursen, Head of Joint Ventures, Africa and Europe, Mrs. Chinenye Deinde, Legal Adviser & Head, Corporate Affairs, APMT as well as Mr. Frederick Klinke, MD, APMT Nigeria.
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