The Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with APM Capital to extend the use of barges to evacuate containers from the ports beyond Ikorodu to Epe.
The move is part of efforts to find lasting solution to the Apapa gridlock problems.
Speaking when she hosted a team from AP Moller Capital in her office, the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the problem of Apapa access road seems intractable because of decade long decadence which was caused by multiplicity of problems.
Usman recalled that NPA had made several efforts, including contributing ₦1.8 billion to rehabilitate the road at a time as well also coming up with Call Up System, which would soon be upgraded to be electronically.
She said that NPA would continue to consult with stakeholders across all levels, since the provision of infrastructure was crucial for sustainable ports operations.
NPA, she assured stakeholders, would build on the synergy that existed with stakeholders and also commended Ministers of Transportation, the Board of Directors of NPA, and the management of APM Capital.
In his response, the Senior Investment Advisor of APM Capital, Fleming Dalgaard, gave the assurance that the construction of a Jetty and Truck Park to facilitate the movement of Cargo with barges from the port would be done soon.
He said that they would provide technical capital, experience, financial capacity and other required resources.
Dalgaard commended openness of the management of NPA adding that such Transparency and efficiency were part of the quality that excites them to come forward for the signing of the MOU.
Amongst issues agreed in the MOU include NPA’s realization that the provision of infrastructure “is crucial for sustainable operation of ports has continued to pursue a programme of infrastructural investments’’.
“ The NPA and APMC entered discussions and have agreed to find a lasting solution to the traffic situation in and around the ports, there is a need to provide the level of required infrastructure,’’ as statement by Mr A. A. Jatto,
General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications Division, said.
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Jatto said that APMC has the interest, technical capacity, competence, experience, financial capacity and other required resources to execute the project.
“The project that are currently being contemplated include the construction of a jetty and truck park to facilitate the movement of cargo by barge from the ports
“APMC understands that some associates investments like construction of truck holding bays that may be required for support.
“APMC intends to commit financial and human resources to further explore these solutions even though the exact nature of infrastructure to be provided may differ from the option currently being envisage in the course of further studies and time spent on the project.’’
