The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has explained that the contract for the channel survey of the Lekki Deep Seaport has been awarded.
According to a release over the weekend, Dantsoho made the announcement during his maiden visit to the deep seaport.
“We have awarded the contract for the survey of the channel, which is also a major requirement of the international port and harbour navigation systems. This will give us more optimisation in the area of channel management around Lekki Port,” Dantsoho said.
Speaking on the request for a reduction in ship dues, he stated that much of the equipment the authority buys to ensure efficiency at the ports is paid for in dollars.
“We keep buying navigational buoys, tugboats, and others to ensure efficiency in port operations across the country. Because many of the things that we buy are paid for in dollars. In as much as it’s necessary to lessen the burden of Lekki Port payments to the government, Lekki Port should also know that we need to have more money to be able to buy more of these things and also ensure that personnel who are running them are also well paid,” he said.
He added that when the National Single Window is deployed, 95 per cent of port processes will be paperless, stressing that it will triple the revenue at the ports.
“Electronic transactions will completely or near-completely eliminate unreceipted payments in our ports. When this happens, it is believed that we are going to make more money. At that point, I think NPA will look at the possibility of bringing down the ship dues,” Dantsoho explained.
The NPA MD also commended the management of Lekki Deep Seaport for sustaining superior performance and remaining unwavering in its commitment to providing every necessary support to optimise the port’s potential.
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