Amiwero: Sambo Should Set Up Committee to Review Port Concession Agreement
SAMBO, TRANSPORT MINISTER
By Francis Ugwoke
The President, National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Agents (NCMDCA), Mr Lucky Amiwero, has advised the Transportation Minister, Alhaji Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, to set up a committee of experts that will be involved in the review of the port concession agreement in the country.
Amiwero said it was better for such experts who have deep knowledge of how port concession is carried out in other climes, including neighbouring West African countries to be involved.
He pointed out that those involved in the port concession were too powerful that government officials alone cannot handle.
According to him, Nigerians behind the concessionaires were more powerful than the government that only a neutral body of experts can afford to do it rightly without looking at anybody’s face.
Besides, he said concession was usually for a specific time and not meant to be for too long, adding that when a concession is carried out and it expires, the proper thing is to go back to the drawing board to know if further renewal is necessary.
He also pointed out that following the concessioning programme, only PTML constructed its terminal under a Greenfield arrangement unlike others who inherited existing facilities owned by Nigerians.
Amiwero said the Nigerian system gave the nation’s ports out illegally, adding that this has been having negative effect on Nigerians in terms of jobs and revenue expected from the sector.
He claimed that what NPA has in place currently was simply port lease of five years and no longer proper concession.
He kicked against the suspension of the NigerDock terminal on the claim that the company has undue competitive advantage against other terminal operators.
Amiwero accused the terminal operators of multiplicity of charges that have continued to make Nigerian ports very expensive.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Transportation, Sambo had directed the NPA to review the port Concession Agreement within 45 days in August during a tour of ports.
The Managing Director of the NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, was reported to have in October told the Minister during a familiarisation tour of the agency that the concession agreement with five terminal operators whose tenure had expired have been concluded.
Koko Bello had given an indication of submitting the agreement to the Transportation Minister for approval.
The NPA MD had also said that discussion with some of the terminal operators were inconclusive with some failing to give necessary feedback to the landlord.
It is not clear if the Minister has given his approval as sought by the NPA management.
Ends..
The President, National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Agents (NCMDCA), Mr Lucky Amiwero, has advised the Transportation Minister, Alhaji Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, to set up a committee of experts that will be involved in the review of the port concession agreement in the country.
Amiwero said it was better for such experts who have deep knowledge of how port concession is carried out in other climes, including neighbouring West African countries to be involved.
He pointed out that those involved in the port concession were too powerful that government officials alone cannot handle.
According to him, Nigerians behind the concessionaires were more powerful than the government that only a neutral body of experts can afford to do it rightly without looking at anybody’s face.
Besides, he said concession was usually for a specific time and not meant to be for too long, adding that when a concession is carried out and it expires, the proper thing is to go back to the drawing board to know if further renewal is necessary.
He also pointed out that following the concessioning programme, only PTML constructed its terminal under a Greenfield arrangement unlike others who inherited existing facilities owned by Nigerians.
Amiwero said the Nigerian system gave the nation’s ports out illegally, adding that this has been having negative effect on Nigerians in terms of jobs and revenue expected from the sector.
He claimed that what NPA has in place currently was simply port lease of five years and no longer proper concession.
He kicked against the suspension of the NigerDock terminal on the claim that the company has undue competitive advantage against other terminal operators.
Amiwero accused the terminal operators of multiplicity of charges that have continued to make Nigerian ports very expensive.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Transportation, Sambo had directed the NPA to review the port Concession Agreement within 45 days in August during a tour of ports.
The Managing Director of the NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, was reported to have in October told the Minister during a familiarisation tour of the agency that the concession agreement with five terminal operators whose tenure had expired have been concluded.
Koko Bello had given an indication of submitting the agreement to the Transportation Minister for approval.
The NPA MD had also said that discussion with some of the terminal operators were inconclusive with some failing to give necessary feedback to the landlord.
It is not clear if the Minister has given his approval as sought by the NPA management.
Ends..
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