From left: Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Nigerian Ports Authority, Hon. Onari Brown, who represented the Managing Director, Mohammed Bello-Koko presents NPA’s plaque to the head of delegation and Maritime Security Specialist, International Maritime Security Operation Team, United Kingdom, Jim Hamilton during a working visit to the NPA corporate headquarters, Marina, Lagos.

The Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, yesterday played host to the Nigeria/UK team on International Ships and Ports Facility Security ISPS Code Peer Review, which was on a working visit to the country’s seaports.

Leader of the team and Maritime Security Specialist, International Maritime Security Operation Team of the United Kingdom, Jim Hamilton, said the purpose of the working visit was to assess Nigeria’s level of compliance to the code and also seek other avenues for collaborations.

This, according to him is with a view to further enhancing port security systems at all the nation’s seaports. While commending the NPA management on the level of compliance at the port terminals and other facilities visited, the team assured that it is willing to partner the NPA on issues relating to port security.

Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, who was represented by the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Hon. Onari Brown assured that the current management would leave no stone unturned in its quest to continuously enhance security at the nation’s seaports.

He thanked the team for finding time to visit Nigeria’s seaports and assured that the NPA was open for further partnerships than would continue to promote security at the country’s seaports and environs.

Available records show that most Nigeria’s seaport terminals and facilities have attained over 90per cent compliance with the Code. The ISPS Code, a convention of the International Maritime Organisation IMO was enacted about 2002 in response to the terrorism attack at the United States World Trade Centre. The aim is to forestall a similar attack on seaport terminals and other related facilities.