Mr Vincent Ohizu, the Secretary-General of the Berthing Meeting of the Nigerian Port Authority, on Monday commended the ports concession programme and its positive impact on the economy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ohizu made commendation during an interview in Lagos.
Berthing meeting is a meeting of all port users where arrangements are made for ships to berth daily.
According to him, the increased number of vessels berthing at the Lagos ports was the direct gain of the concession programme.
“It is a blessing for so many ships to use our ports.
“If those vessels, especially those carrying food items don’t come, the cost of these items in the market will skyrocket.
“If we don’t have a number of wheat vessels, for example, the cost of wheat and other wheat based products such as bread and flour will increase,” Ohizu said.
He said that ports concession had also resulted in the elimination of monopoly on importation by few firms.
“The concession agenda has not only opened up the maritime industry in terms of increased cargo throughput, but has also increased competition among shipping firms.
“Before, it used to be only the Nigerian Ports Authority, but now there is increased competition and investment in the sector.
“We also know that foreign investors are happy with the ports concession due to their active participation. “We now have so many concessionaires who are investing in infrastructure in their various terminals,” he said.
The Secretary-General said that although it appeared that the nation was import dependent,? but Nigeria’s population, absence of industries and infrastructure had made importation imperative.
He urged the Federal Government to improve the welfare of the concessionaires by privatising stevedoring at the terminals.
Ohizu said that it was inappropriate for government employed dockworkers to be working for the concessionaires.
He said that the current arrangement could engender disloyalty to the private sector operators.
“When the dockworkers are in the hands of government, if there are any grievances in the industry, the ship owner suffers.
“However, some terminals have already embarked on direct employment of their labour and so, today, there is nothing like industrial action in those terminals.
“If the company makes profit, the labour makes profit with it and if the company loses, the labour loses with it, so the labour is concerned with the welfare of the company,” Ohizu said.
Meanwhile the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) shipping position showed that 100 ships were expected to arrive at various Lagos ports terminals in October. ?
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