Group Petitions N’Assembly over NPA’s Position on Secured Achorage

A group, Association of Professionals for Safety in Shipping in Nigeria (APOSSIN) pushing for security of shipping services in the country has petitioned the National Assembly over the recent pronouncement by the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), instructing shipping operators to stop paying for personalised security services offered in the Secured Anchorage Area, (SAA) being operated by the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with private firm, Ocean Marine Solutions (OMS) Limited.

The group noted that the directive was not only ill-advised but also counter-productive, stressing that NPA did not have the authority to make such pronouncement on an arrangement by another agency of government to deliver on its mandate.

The SAA is outside the port limits and hence not under the administrative control of the NPA. Security of the nation’s maritime domain statutorily rests on the Nigerian Navy. NPA by the pronouncement is interfering with the functions of the Nigerian Navy, a rascality that must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.

Chairman of APOSSIN, Adewale

Adebayo Oluwafemi and Secretary, Emeka Peter Ikechukwu, pointed out that NPA had not been able to secure facilities around the port, yet it was after SAA that has brought some safety and trust for global shipping lines calling at the nation’s ports in Lagos.

APOSSIN further noted that this was made evident from the complaint by the General Manager of Greenview Development Nigeria Limited, Apapa - Lagos, Yakubu Abdullahi, of constant attack of its terminal by sea thieves.

They noted that it would not be out of place for NPA to concentrate in providing security for ships that were berthed at the nation’s ports first.

They explained that the “SAA is an initiative of the Nigerian Navy and OMS that has brought stability and security to ships calling at the nation’s ports.”

According to them, “SAA was created because of demands from ships making port calls to Lagos to give the captains extra comfort while at anchorage awaiting allocation of berthing space. The facility, we gathered is intended to collaborate government efforts and not a replacement.