Bala-Usman: Efficient Seaport Channel Key to Economic Growth
Stories by Eromosele Abiodun
The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman has stated that the federal government is committed to ensuring that the nation’s ports are efficient as doing so will ensure economic growth and industrilisation.
She stressed the readiness of the NPA management at investing resources in the areas of capacity building and an efficient port system towards the growth of the nation’s economy and global industrialisation.
Bala-Usman made this remark during the NPA’s Special Day at the recent 2017 International Trade Fair organised by the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) at the Tafawa Balewa Square Lagos with the theme, ‘’Promoting Industrialisation For Economic Recovery And Sustainable Growth.’’
According to her, developing nations of the world have come to the realisation that Industrialisation is a channel through which a nation’s economic recovery short and long term is dependent upon.
To this end, she added that all hand must be on deck towards finding a long lasting solution to the perennial problems facing the nation in the area of starvation, diseases and unemployment amongst others.
According to the NPA boss, who was represented by the General Manager Corporate and Strategic Communications, Abdullahi Goje, the NPA is assiduously working towards making our seaports a safe havenfor Investors within the sub-Sahara Africa by providing a conducive environment for all in line with International best practices.
In her words: “There is currently an Executive Order on 24 hour port operations and the authority has placed all the necessary mechanisms to ensure the realisation of the order.”
Bala-Usman promised to work with professionals in the maritime sector and make the ports attractive to business and boost the Nigerian economy in the process.
The NPA boss said she was more determined to close the gaps between the agency and the professionals by engaging them in most of its activities to promote port business.
The NPA, she said, will find solution to the issue of gridlock in Apapa and fix the access road to boost port operations
She expressed concern over other challenges facing the ports and assured of her determina- tion to find a lasting solution to the problems.
In her welcome address, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Nike Akande lauded the contributions of the port industry to the growth and development of the nation’s economy, and called on the relevant government agencies to ensure an enabling environment for an efficient Port system.