Strong indications have emerged that the federal government may be forced to shutdown the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal in Lagos over the recent alarm raised by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) on some explosive overtime cargoes.
Governing Board members of NPA had recently expressed worries of some overtime cargoes that have been abandoned for over 44years at the facility, even as they called on management of the Nigeria Customs Service to expedite actions to evacuate some of the detained consignments.
But speaking with our correspondent recently on the next line of actions by the board of NPA in furtherance to the evacuation of the dangerous cargoes, one of the members, Hon. Ghazali Mohammed Mijinyawa said government might shutdown the facility due to high risk involved.
The board member reiterated that the explosive cargoes pose serious threat to the facility and the nation adding it would be wise for government to shutdown the terminal and give rooms for the evacuation of such items.
According to him, the executive board of NPA will hold a retreat to determine the next line of actions on Ikorodu Lighter Terminal in Lagos.
“The executive management would have a retreat and I wouldn’t tell you what the retreat is all about but in two weeks time we are going to shut the port terminal at Ikorodu and that is what we are going to do”,he reaffirmed
On the issue of revoking of the licenses of some terminal operators, Mijinyawa said plans are afoot to review the port concession agreement in furtherance to be fair to all parties involved in the process of renewal.
Mijinyawa who is also the chairman, Seaport Concession , executive board member, NPAÂ pointed out that the terminal operators have testified that NPA was commitment to the concession agreement and would further ensure fair play to all parties involved in the renewal process .
He said :”We have to sit down and have a review of everything and of course if there are those worthy of renewal we just have to give them that opportunity but for the ones that have defaulted it is better you find out why they default before any necessary actions because you just have to strike a balance.
“Its not a matter of am not going to renew the agreement but to find out why are they not functioning properly. Is it because of the Covid? Is it the NPA defaulting? Is it them defaulting?,So you just have to go through the documents and see for yourself before you make a judgment of that; so that we can be fair to all parties.
According to him, the terminal operators have lauded efforts of the NPA on the working relationship between stakeholders as against the backdrop of port operations since 2006 .
“They acknowledged the fact that NPA has done well over time to make their job more easier and it is a good thing to hear that the NPA has done marvellously well in the concession agreement.”
Caption:
Hon. Ghazali Mohammed Mijinyawa
By Roland Ekama
