The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has charged contractors working on the road infrastructure and security architecture projects in Tin Can Island, Onne, Calabar and Rivers ports to hasten completion of the projects to strengthen the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) in the country.
The ISPS Code is an amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention (1974/1988) on minimum security arrangements for ships, port facilities and government agencies. It provides a framework through which ships and port facilities can cooperate to detect and deter acts that pose threat to maritime security and international trade.
Also recall that there have been reports of pilfering and looting of imported vehicle components inside the Lagos RoRo terminals, especially at Tin Can Island Port, which has extended to bonded terminals.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the Tin can Island port projects, yesterday, the Managing Director, NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, said the authority awarded contract of concrete perimeter fencing in Tin Can Island, Onne, Calabar and Rivers ports, to enforce usage of the automated access control gate into the ports.
According to him, the Tin-Can Island port fencing, which has been completed, is to ensure the ports are secured by reducing access to the number of persons entering the port, many of whom don’t have businesses to do there.
He said this will reduce pilfering, thefts, thugs and miscreants coming into the ports, as well as creating an enabling business environment within the port location as required by the ISPS code.
The NPA boss also noted that the rehabilitation of roads leading into the ports and drainage will be completed in two weeks as assured by the contractors, to ensure evacuation of water, especially as the rain is near.
“We know there are issues of flooding within this location, we asked that the contractors look at it. We have created drainage outlets into the main creek – the Port Novo creek, just to ensure evacuation of water and we are doing this at other ports across the country – Onne, Calabar and Rivers port just to ensure the roads within the ports are in a very good state.
“We have also given contract for the concrete fencing of the ports, this is to look at the operations of the ports to see what we have achieved so far in terms of improving sanity and ensuring that only those that have business in the ports get into the port,” he added.
On security of the waterways, Bello-Koko said, the authority has increased security patrol and surveillance, working with the Nigerian Navy and the Lagos State government, as well as ensuring fencing of the waterfronts, which the engineers are looking into dud to the soft nature of the locations.
“Our security personnel are up to the task and we keep giving them all the tools they need, we have improve their communication and we will keep improving it and we will buy more patrol boats to ensure the water fronts are also secured,” he added.
