A sub-committee of the Presidential Ports Reforms Monitoring Committee has ordered the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to remove all abandoned containers at the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal (IKLT) with immediate effect to create room for the transfer of overtime cargoes there.
The committee also ordered the NPA to immediately source for a major investor in the development of a trailer park and holding bay for empty containers, to be granted express approval to commence immediate construction work.
At a meeting with NPA directors and other top maritime industry stakeholders at the Western Zonal office of NPA in Lagos yesterday, the Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Maritime Services, Mr. Gbenga Oyewole, said the woes of the country’s maritime should end with 2011.
“Movement of containers should be according to first in, first out. This is to give ample time to importers to take delivery of their consignments from the ports before they are moved out to IKLT.
“Creation of a one-stop containers exchange desk/office to warehouse and dispense with loaded and off-loading of containers has become inevitable in the New Year,” he said.
The sub-committee also concluded that a gazetted process needed to be evolved for the movement of overtime cargoes, which would be published in the national dailies for the the public to be informed.
It also directed the NPA to embark on a massive sensitisation of importers and agents on the need to take delivery of their cargoes on time to avoid going through a lot of difficulties clearing same from IKLT.