Chidi Ogbuokiri
The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman has described the much anticipated National Maritime Transport Policy, as the key to unlock the huge potentials and vast opportunities in the nation’s blue economy.
According to her, a well articulated National Maritime Transport Policy would support local content development, create good value jobs and attract high impacting direct foreign investments within the context of the Federal Government’s Economic Growth and Sustainability agenda.
She said “we look forward to a policy with clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) that would guide our various operations, that would be strengthened by critical legal frame work and legislation from the National Assembly”
She added that, ” The policy should engender a competitive maritime domain with clear rules on institutional governance, service capacity and accountability.”
The NPA Managing Director who was one of the parastatal heads in attendance during the stakeholders’ validation workshop on the National Transport Maritime Policy hosted by the Federal Ministry of Transportation, called for greater synergy and collaboration between the public and private sector stakeholders to advance the interest of the maritime industry in Nigeria.
On the recently launched Electronic Call–Up System for Trucks , ETO, by the Authority, Hadiza said: “the web application would control the movement of trucks in and out of the ports in an orderly and safe manner, on a first come, first serve basis.
She listed some of the benefits that would accrue to the sector and the country to include, quick truck turnaround, reduction in port cost, transparent traffic management system and above all – a business friendly and globally competitive port system in Nigeria.
