Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko

The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has said it is poised to deepen its partnership with the Lagos State Government in its resolve to further promote business friendly environment at the nation’s seaports in line with Federal Government’s policy on Ease of Doing Business.

Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, who gave the assurance in Lagos Tuesday when he paid a courtesy and appreciation visit on the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the sanity being witnessed in Apapa with the elimination of the gridlock was as a result of the partnership with the state government, which he believes should be deepened and sustained in order to extend the success to the Tin Can Island Ports corridor.

The MD also in a bid to promote security on the port corridors, solicited the support of the Lagos State Government in providing adequate lighting nf the ports access roads. “We believe that illumination will minimise and ultimately eliminate opportunistic crimes that take advantage of dark spots”, Bello-Koko noted.

A statement by the General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Ibrahim Nasiru, said in addition to road illumination, the NPA-boss also sought the urgent intervention of the state government in carrying out palliative works around Sunrise and Coconut bus stop axis on Apapa-Mile 2 Road axis, as well to engage with Hi-Tech Construction on the need to fast track work on the road. In addition, he notified the Governor on the need to undertake another clearance operation as a follow-up to the one earlier carried out in 2021 with the backing of the LASG. He argued that a repeat clearance operation had become necessary to sustain the gains of the initial exercise and forestall a relapse.

While hinting on NPA’s preparedness for the take-off of the Lekki Deep Seaport in September, the Managing Director requested Lagos State Government to fast track the construction of Lekki Port access road as it constitutes a critical success factor for smooth take-off of the nation’s first Deep Seaport.

Bello Koko also used the visit to formally present the new initiatives jointly churned out by the NPA/LASG team on the Joint Apapa Traffic Control, ahead of the signing of an MOU that seeks to address the menace of multiplicity of checkpoints and attendant extortion.

In his response, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who commended the new NPA Managing Director for the demonstrated capacity whilst in acting capacity, said Lagos is happy to be home to the two existing ports and is investing heavily in the construction of the ports access roads for the Lekki Port ahead of take-off towards the end of the year.

The Governor expressed delight at the prospect of the Lekki Port situated at the eastern part of Lagos and the upcoming Badagry Port situated in the western part in a strategic balance that will assure economic prosperity to all parts of the state which serves as the commercial nerve center of the national economy.

Speaking further, the Governor, commended the electronic call-up system (eto) and assured the Managing Director of the unalloyed support of LASG in driving all efforts aimed at making the Ports more efficient.