Stakeholders Plead For Improved Port Accessibility, Crowd Control
General Manager, Western Zone of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Mohammed Bulangu, has said that the issue of complying with the provisions of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code in Nigerian ports is the responsibility of all stakeholders.
Bulangu stated this recently at a one-day workshop on Improving Port Accessibility and Crowd Control in the industry. The event was organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Nigeria, Tin Can Island Zone.
Also speaking, Port Manager, Tin Can Island Port Complex, Barrister Efioita Ephraim blamed truck operators for poor vehicular access to the Tin Can Island port. He noted that truck operators have not put into use the space provided as holding bay for trucks operating at the port.
“You would agree with me that this workshop has come at no better time than now when the port industry in Nigeria is under going series of reforms for improved port operations and quick turnaround time of vessel. Tin Can Island port has its peculiarities in terms of proximity to an area of highly dense population and this has created a major challenge in the area of crowd control among other challenges. The other challenges are created by the derelict trucks which have no parking lot hence they are abandoned along the port access roads,†Ephraim said.
On his part, Chairman, CILT, Lagos branch, Mr. Segun Timi called on NPA and concessionaries to form a synergy to improve port access and crowd control at the nation’s ports.
Speaking on the rationale behind the workshop, Chairman of CILT, Tin can Island zone, Mr. Samuel Usoro explained that the objectives include, to resolve the issue of partial accessibility to the ports, introduce new measures for crowd control, implore the authorities with a view to improving the depleting road access infrastructure and improve both vehicular and pedestrian traffic at the ports.
—Esther Komolafe
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