From left:  GM Western Port, Arc. AbiodunGbadamosi, First Secretary Economic/ Development Corporation, Japanese Embassy in Nigeria, Gaku Sato, Representative of the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, Prof. Idris Abubakar, GM Physical Planning, Engr. Rufai Mohammed and GM Maintenance, Engr. Adams Jatto when Sato paid a courtesy visit to the NPA headquarters on Marina, Lagos recently.

 

The Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, has said it is willing to collaborate with the Japanese Government in the areas of technical and manpower support.

This is with a view to instituting a regime operational efficiency at the Nigeria’s seaports.

Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, who made this pledge, spoke during a business meeting with the First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Nigeria on Economic/Development Cooperation, Mr. Gaku Sato, who visited the Managing Director at the Marina, Lagos corporate headquarters of the authority recently.

The MD, who was represented by the Executive Director Engineering and Technical Services, Professor Idris Abubakar, also said that the management was aware and conscious of the cordial relationship and technical collaboration hitherto existing between the Japanese Government and the NPA over the years especially in the area of training.

Other members of the NPA management team present at the business meeting were General Managers, Western Ports, Arch. Abiodun Gbadamosi, Physical Planning and Development, Engr. A.R. Mohammed, Maintenance, Engr. A.A. Jatto among others.

She said: “The management of NPA is desirous of nurturing this relationship and cooperation to maturity”.

“We look forward to more training programmes, especially in the areas of Information Communication Technology ICT and human capital development useful to our staff in view of the changing trends in the sector”.

According to the MD, such training programmes in the past have impacted positively on the productivity of the organisation’s operations across board.

While calling for a more robust synergy between both nations with the view to promoting the goals of the present management in terms of trade facilitation within the sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, she however assured the visiting Secretary that NPA management was upholding the Federal Government’s 25- year Port Master Plan which serves as a guide towards the implementation of the various policies and developments in the industry aimed at making Nigeria’s seaports a hub within sub-Saharan Africa.

Meanwhile, the visiting Secretary, who spoke earlier, informed the NPA management that the Japanese Government was exploring trade and investment opportunities in Nigeria through a most efficient infrastructure and manpower development window, especially in the port environment.

He noted that the shipping industry plays a vital role in the life of any nation through windows and corridors of trade facilitation.

According to him, at present, over 30 companies of Japanese origin are doing business in Lagos in the area of manufacturing, car/motor motorbike assembly and entertainment aside other trading establishment.

He expressed the hope that this would grow with the renewed and reinvigorated synergy between Nigeria and Japan.

He however solicited assistance of the NPA management through the provision of a blueprint and platform that would also assist other teams from Japan expected in the country soon.

He also urged the NPA management to prepare itself for more collaboration with the Japanese authorities, especially in the area of future development of the port industry, thereby stimulating the economic growth and development.

“The Japanese Government through the Japanese International Corporation Agency JICA, is willing to undertake the refurbishment of the Apapa Power sub-station in order to contribute towards a seamless port operations having carried out similar projects in Jebba and Abuja”, he said.