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Manager of the Onne Port in Rivers State, Mr. Stanley Magaji Yitnoe, says the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is focused on creating an enabling environment for business to thrive at the ports, rather than in taking measures aimed at frustrating the seamless exit of consignments.
Yitnoe made this known while receiving a delegation of the Maritime, Energy Media Practitioners (MEMPON), led by Amb (Dr) Ralph John, in his office at the port complex on Friday.
The port manager described as baseless suggestions that the NPA is unnecessarily delaying cargoes from leaving the port; pointing out that it is not in the authority’s interest for cargoes and consignments to litter the complex, constituting a menace to port users.
He noted that the NPA, since the concession to terminal operators, has assumed the landlord role at the ports and has no direct function in cargo handling and clearance, adding that cargo clearance is the statutory duty of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).
“NPA has nothing to do with delay of cargoes. In fact, we charge demurrage for unnecessary delay of cargoes. So it is not true that NPA stops any cargo from leaving the port after NCS clearance,” he said.
Yitnoe noted the role of the media in the development of the nation and the maritime sector. He however stressed the need for balanced and unbiased reportage by the media to achieve its role in the society.
“Media is essential for the activities of the society, including the maritime industry. The role of government is in paripasu with the media. Your pen can make or mar the society. Hence there is need for you to be careful in your reportage. Stand by the truth always and the society shall be good for all of us,” he said.
Traffic manager of the Onne Port, Prince G. Zhattau, who pointed out that the demurrage charged by NPA is to discourage shippers from keeping their cargoes in the port after clearance, noted that the NPA further offers shippers a grace period to get them to remove the consignments and free the space for other port users.
He urged the media to ensure they balance their reports, further reminding them of the need to verify information concerning the ports before publishing.
National President of MEMPON, Amb (Dr) Ralph John, earlier noted the existing relationship between the media group and management of the Onne Port, while calling for a media/NPA synergy on issues confronting maritime development in the country.
One of such contentious issues, which the NPA managers had also harped on, is the need for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Eleme section of the East-West road, which is access road into the port.
The poor state of the Eleme section of the East-West road recently led President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to commence the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the road.