Blue-Waters Maritime Boss Backs NPA on Closure of SAA, Calls for Presidential Probe
The Principal Consultant of an indigenous maritime consulting firm, Blue-Waters Environmental Management Consults Limited, Mr Okey Ibeke, has expressed strong support for the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) decision to shut down the operation of a Safe Anchorage Area (SAA) on Lagos waters.
NPA recently announced the shutdown of the safe anchorage area being operated by a private firm, OMSL Limited in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy.
“NPA’s action is commendable as it addresses the concern of stakeholders and other concerned Nigerians over the takeover of security of Lagos anchorage area by a private firm on behalf of the Nigerian Navy,” said Ibeke. “It takes courage to take this kind of action.”
Ibeke, an expert in marine environmental governance and management, said that in addition to the security concernsinherent in such a dubious arrangement, “the Safe Anchorage Area which has been in operation since 2014 has been adding to the cost of doing business at the Lagos ports for ship owners who areforced to pay $2,500 for the first day and $1,500 every other day for perceived security threat, for the period their ships anchor at the so-called safe anchorage area.”
He said that the safe anchorage area is located within the port area, making the provision of security for ships approaching the Lagos ports or on anchorage the exclusive responsibility of NPA and despite the operation of the safe zone within the port limits, cases of pirate and armed robbery attacks on ships at anchorage are still being reported. The impression is, therefore, created that ships that do not patronize the ‘safe anchorage area’ or are not escorted by OMSL are not safe.
“It is sad that OMSL and the Navy have been collecting an average $133.28 million (N47.98 billion) annually from the safe anchorage area since 2014 using patrol boats purchased by NPA and handed over to the Navy to provide security in the nation’s territorial waters,”said the Blue-waters CEO.
As stated by NPA, the security of the country’s waterways is the statutoryresponsibility of NIMASA, Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy, while the security of the port environment is that of NPA in collaboration with the navy. Private security is nowhere in the security architecture.
“This kind of shady security scheme cannot be allowed to continue. I really praise the managing director of NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, for her courage in dismantling it, as well as her timely warning against any attempt to create insecurity in Lagos waters as a result of the cancellation of the dubious contract.
“At the same time, I commend the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for his role in bringing this ingeniousscheme to an end.President Mohamadu Buhari should also go further by instituting a probe to ascertain how the huge sum of money collected in foreign currency for five years was utilized”, Ibeke further said
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