*Minister commends NPA

Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, has applauded the pace of work at the Lekki Deep Seaport project, expressing hope that operational and commercial services at the port would commence by the last quarter of 2022.

Amaechi described the level of construction work as very impressive and commended the Mohammed Bello-Koko-led Management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for availing the contractors the necessary support.

The minister spoke on Saturday while on an assessment tour of the port site in the company of senior government functionaries and heads of relevant agencies including Acting Managing Director of NPA, Bello-Koko, and Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Hon. Emmanuel Jime.

He charged the contractors to sustain the tempo of work and enjoined them to re-double their efforts to ensure the scheduled commissioning date and commencement of cargo operations is achieved.

He emphasized that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration remains committed to delivering efficient port services, in line with international best practices.

He said: “The last time we came, there was no quay wall, just the breakwaters. But today, there are many visible improvements. It doesn’t mean that you have delivered; it simply means you will achieve it. The last time we came, your chairman said it wasn’t possible, and I told him wait and see, if it’s not possible, then you know that I am not Minister of Transport.

“We are supposed to commission by September, which is in the old agreement, but if you double your efforts on this job, we can commission (it) by July”.

The Chief Operating Officer of Lekki Port/Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ), Laurence Smith, thanked the minister and his team for the visit.

Smith appealed for increased government support on the construction of access roads to the port location as well as linking the port to the national railway grid.

He acknowledged the support and synergy provided by the Bello-Koko-led Management of the NPA, especially in the procurement of Vessel Tracking System (VTS) for the Lekki channel and other port locations in the country; procurement of two 80 tons bollard pull ASG Tugboats and two pilot boats for deployment to the Lekki Deep Seaport.

Meanwhile, the Lekki port will have a truck parking area with a capacity for 300 trucks to avoid indiscriminate parking of trucks on the access road to the port when it becomes operational in the next few months.

At the terminal area, the Customs Building will have a full-fledged examination bay for proper inspection before trucks are allowed to evacuate the area. There is also a dedicated area for impounded goods.

Construction is on-going for reefer connections to handle perishable commodities; erection of light masts which will be 25m high, so that the whole area is fully lit 24hrs daily.

General Manager, Corporate & Strategic Communications, Ibrahim Nasiru, said the dredging and reclamation work is now at 89.93 per cent completion, quay wall 85.65 per cent completion, breakwater 79.66 per cent completion, land-side infrastructure 6.82 per cent completion, thus bringing total works carried out on the project to approximately 80 per cent completion.

Equity owners of the Lekki Deep Seaport are Tolaram Group, China Harbour Engineering Company, Lagos State Government and Nigerian Ports Authority (on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria).

On completion, it would be a world class multi-purpose facility, serving as a regional distribution and transshipment hub for West and Central Africa.

TheStar