WASHINGTON: Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has resolved to institute a competitive tariff and pricing regime in order to make the Nigerian port attractive in West and Central Africa regions. It said that the tariff would lead to corrupt free and transparent administrative system, which will improve Nigerian port competitiveness within the regions.
NPA’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Chief Michael Ajayi, quoted the Managing Director of the authority, Hadiza Usman, as saying these at her maiden tour of Onne Port. She said that all relationship that were skewed in favour of terminal operators and private enterprises within the ports industry would be reviewed and corrected, advising organisations involved in such anomaly to quickly reconcile them now.
Also, Usman cautioned companies fond of paying the government revenue into their coffers. She warned them to desist from such act, as all the government revenue must come to NPA, which will issue invoice and pay such revenue to the government through the Treasury Single Account (TSA). Meanwhile, the NPA has acquired new modern tugboats worth N6.2 billion to boost port operation to enhance marine operation and service delivery in the Lagos pilotage district. The new tugboats would be commissioned and deployed to service in November 2016.
The high-tech boats were acquired at a sum of nine million euros each, bringing the total amount spent on both to a princely N6.2billion from Damen shipyard in Romania. The boats, christened MT Daura and MT Ubima, were acquired to consolidate MT Uromi and MT Majia bought in 2015.
