Lekki Deep Seaport: Sambo Instructs NPA to Ensure Goods Are Not Evacuated by Road
* Encourages deployment of barges
*Accuses customs of blocking rail connection in Apapa port
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has been instructed to ensure that goods delivery at the Lekki Deep Seaport will not be by road when the seaport flags off operation in 2023.
The Minister of Transport, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, gave the instruction to ensure that residents of Lekki are not subjected to gridlock on the road as being experienced in Apapa area over the decades.
Sambo spoke on the occasion of 34 years Anniversary celebration organized by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos weekend.
The Minister said that movement of goods by road would simply mean a repeat of what happens in Apapa in the Lekki – Epe road area of Lagos.
He encouraged the use of barges, adding that this will in turn create jobs for many Nigerians.
Sambo said, “Lekki Deep Seaport, I have told them I don’t want them to move goods to that port or from that port by road. There’s no reason why we should have another Apapa at Lekki -Epe axis. I will not accept it. I have told NPA that. So, to start with, we must do barging, let us do barge operation, that will generate a lot of jobs for people who construct barges and so on and at the same time, build capacity for our people.”
The Minister also expressed concern over the obstruction of rail connection by the scanning room being bused by the Nigeria Customs Service (NC).
He said that already the customs leadership has been informed to remove the scanning room as this was affecting trade facilitation.
According to the Minister, the Customs Service had requested that payments should be made for the pavements involved to be removed, adding that the payment has since been made with Customs still not taking action to do the needful.
He said, “The reason he (Comptroller General of Customs) gave me was that we were supposed to have made payment to decontaminate the place and then, after sometimes, they will come and remove the pavements. I came back to the Ministry and made inquiries and I was told that the Ministry had made that payment a long time ago. So, my intention is to go back with evidence to show the CG that we have made the payment a long time ago and there is no reason that building should still be standing because I don’t understand why and how it should take an age to remove that building.
“I am also happy to have noted that during my visit to the CG, he told me that one of the issues that they have is that they have scanners at the ports but those scanners were not commissioned. Only a week or two ago, I think the Minister of Finance went to commission them. So, when I go back to him next week, I will say to him, now that the scanners have been commissioned, I hope that we are going to see a lot of improvement with the clearing process.
“Talking about the clearing process and the ease of doing business in our ports, one of the things that I am also pursuing is the port community system. That is the surest way of taking our cargoes out of our ports within a matter of hours. If most other African countries have port community system working, why can’t we have it in Nigeria?
“I want to appeal to our maritime reporters, whenever you convene an event like this, make sure that the customs are always represented by all means, even if you have to drag them by long rope”.
The Minister also disclosed that he wants to ensure the development inland waterways transportation mode.
He said this was his dream which was not achieved while he was in NIWA some years ago, adding that now that he is Minister, he will ensure the dream becomes possible.
He disclosed that part of this was to create trans-shipment hub at the Marina and channel management by NIWA.
He said, “That is the one that is supposed to serve as a hub from Marina. When the ships come into harbour, they do trans-shipment into barges or specialized vessels that can travel over a maximum two to three meters draught all through the inter-coastal routes to Warri and to Onitsha.
“The other one is channel management, the company, the Chinese investors that that are willing and have the capacity to manage the channel. I have told my people in the Ministry that if I don’t have these two projects off the ground, people are going to cry, I will make examples with some people if these two projects don’t take off by next year.
“So, when we combine the alternatives, then we can now tell haulage people that you can no longer take petroleum products by road, you can no longer take construction materials by road, you can no longer take cement by road so that our roads will even last longer”.
*Accuses customs of blocking rail connection in Apapa port
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has been instructed to ensure that goods delivery at the Lekki Deep Seaport will not be by road when the seaport flags off operation in 2023.
The Minister of Transport, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, gave the instruction to ensure that residents of Lekki are not subjected to gridlock on the road as being experienced in Apapa area over the decades.
Sambo spoke on the occasion of 34 years Anniversary celebration organized by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos weekend.
The Minister said that movement of goods by road would simply mean a repeat of what happens in Apapa in the Lekki – Epe road area of Lagos.
He encouraged the use of barges, adding that this will in turn create jobs for many Nigerians.
Sambo said, “Lekki Deep Seaport, I have told them I don’t want them to move goods to that port or from that port by road. There’s no reason why we should have another Apapa at Lekki -Epe axis. I will not accept it. I have told NPA that. So, to start with, we must do barging, let us do barge operation, that will generate a lot of jobs for people who construct barges and so on and at the same time, build capacity for our people.”
The Minister also expressed concern over the obstruction of rail connection by the scanning room being bused by the Nigeria Customs Service (NC).
He said that already the customs leadership has been informed to remove the scanning room as this was affecting trade facilitation.
According to the Minister, the Customs Service had requested that payments should be made for the pavements involved to be removed, adding that the payment has since been made with Customs still not taking action to do the needful.
He said, “The reason he (Comptroller General of Customs) gave me was that we were supposed to have made payment to decontaminate the place and then, after sometimes, they will come and remove the pavements. I came back to the Ministry and made inquiries and I was told that the Ministry had made that payment a long time ago. So, my intention is to go back with evidence to show the CG that we have made the payment a long time ago and there is no reason that building should still be standing because I don’t understand why and how it should take an age to remove that building.
“I am also happy to have noted that during my visit to the CG, he told me that one of the issues that they have is that they have scanners at the ports but those scanners were not commissioned. Only a week or two ago, I think the Minister of Finance went to commission them. So, when I go back to him next week, I will say to him, now that the scanners have been commissioned, I hope that we are going to see a lot of improvement with the clearing process.
“Talking about the clearing process and the ease of doing business in our ports, one of the things that I am also pursuing is the port community system. That is the surest way of taking our cargoes out of our ports within a matter of hours. If most other African countries have port community system working, why can’t we have it in Nigeria?
“I want to appeal to our maritime reporters, whenever you convene an event like this, make sure that the customs are always represented by all means, even if you have to drag them by long rope”.
The Minister also disclosed that he wants to ensure the development inland waterways transportation mode.
He said this was his dream which was not achieved while he was in NIWA some years ago, adding that now that he is Minister, he will ensure the dream becomes possible.
He disclosed that part of this was to create trans-shipment hub at the Marina and channel management by NIWA.
He said, “That is the one that is supposed to serve as a hub from Marina. When the ships come into harbour, they do trans-shipment into barges or specialized vessels that can travel over a maximum two to three meters draught all through the inter-coastal routes to Warri and to Onitsha.
“The other one is channel management, the company, the Chinese investors that that are willing and have the capacity to manage the channel. I have told my people in the Ministry that if I don’t have these two projects off the ground, people are going to cry, I will make examples with some people if these two projects don’t take off by next year.
“So, when we combine the alternatives, then we can now tell haulage people that you can no longer take petroleum products by road, you can no longer take construction materials by road, you can no longer take cement by road so that our roads will even last longer”.
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