From right: Minister of State for Transport, Senator Gbemi Saraki, Executive Director Finance and Administration, Nigerian Ports Authority, Adenrele Adesina, Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Engr. Fidet Okhiria and a representative of one of the terminal operators during the visit to Apapa Ports, Tuesday.

Minister of State for Transport, Senator Gbemi Saraki, Monday commenced an assessment visit to Nigeria’s seaports and other facilities in Lagos, about one month after the resignation of her former boss and Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi to contest the presidential primaries, which he lost.

She said that the Federal Government would embark upon a holistic upgrade of all seaport infrastructure to forestall a total collapse of some of the quay walls and berths, especially at the two biggest seaports; the Lagos Ports Complex and Tin Can Island Ports Complex, Apapa, some of which are seriously dilapidated.

Saraki, who concluded the tour of both seaports, Tuesday, expressed dissatisfaction at the level of decay of port infrastructure, but assured that the ministry would urgently work with the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA with a view to finding the best options for the rehabilitation of the seaports.

While responding to complaints by some terminal operators, the minister said: “The seaports are major sources of revenue to the Federal Government and so as critical national assets, we must ensure that they are safe, secure for workers and other service providers and users alike. We also need to ensure that we are creating and maximising the wealth from the seaports.

“I think that we have got to that stage where there is no more option of palliative or short-term remedy. The NPA and the ministry will look at the issues and respond swiftly on how we are going to address this. It would be great if we get these drawings so that while we are still in Lagos, we can study them with the NPA and explore other solutions to address these challenges”.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Tin Can Island Container Terminal TICT, Etienne Rocher, who addressed the Minister when she visited the Tin Can Island Ports Complex, disclosed that a study carried out by the company in the first quarter of 2017 showed that the port’s quay walls have since expired.

According to him, an incident occurred in 2016 when the company had a reach stacker going through the deck and it collapsed, which prompted the study that was carried out only to discover that the infrastructure had outlived its lifespan.

“Since the infrastructure has expired, there is no remedial or palliative measure that can be done because cargoes are still being handled at the ports. Also, because of the seawater, the holding structure has been eroded and over 40 per cent of the quay wall was affected as at the time of the report in 2017.

“According to the experts’ opinions of the engineering firms, the only option proposed was reconstruction. If we try to seek another remedy, the result will be a hastened collapse of the quay wall. This is because we would be applying immense pressure on a holding structure that is already heavily damaged.

“The findings of the technical experts as well as design solutions for a reconstruction was packaged in proposals to the NPA and the Ministry of Transport. We have been in discussions and we are still deliberating with the NPA. We have come up with proposals and technical design solutions not only for this, but the entire Lagos ports, that is both Tin Can and Apapa.

“The design solutions, which we have reviewed are part of the full business case and a strategic modernisation plan that has been submitted early this year. The TICT is willing to carry out the investments directly as well as the extensions and we promise to make available the execution drawings of the new port quay wall to the Ministry of Transport and the NPA”, Rocher said.

At the LPC, Apapa, Executive Vice Chairman of ENL Consortium, Princess Vicky Haastrup, lamented the total absence of perimeter fencing, which she argued, poses security danger to both persons and cargo at the terminal.

Haastrup, who doubles as chairman of the Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria STOAN, also disclosed that due to the absence of perimeter fencing, there have been repeated cases pilferage and other vices, which occur on a regular basis.