24 hours after the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) expressed worry over the manner cargoes will be cleared from the $1.5bn Lekki Deep seaport, top management of the Lekki Deep seaport were at the NSC headquarters, on Wednesday, to present status of the ongoing construction work at the port to the nations port economic regulator.
Recall that the NSC Boss, on Tuesday, expressed worry over how cargoes will be cleared from the Lekki port due to the state of the Eleko road and due to the fact that the Deep seaport lacks any rail connection.
However, leading a top management team of the Lekki Deep seaport to the NSC headquarters in Apapa on Wednesday, Lekki Port Chief Operating Officer, Laurence Smith and Head of Regulatory, Daniel Odibe visited the Executive Secretary/Managing Director of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and his management team.
According to sources close to the NSC, during the visit, Mr Daniel Odibe, made a presentation on the status of the ongoing construction of the port, the milestones achieved and preparations to start port operations in September 2022.
“It was a very interactive meeting during which both organisations agreed to collaborate to ensure the successful kick-off of Lekki Port.
“But it shouldn’t have got to this level. Why did the Lekki Port wait until the Executive Secretary exposed their inadequacies before they thought it wise to come and pay him a visit?
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“Why must we wait until we are pushed before we take some productive steps in this part of the world?
“The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Emmanuel Jime was appointed last year (2021) July, yet the Lekki Port had never deemed it fit to pay him a courtesy visit to explain certain things about the ongoing construction to the man. We are talking of the Economic Regulator of the Nigerian ports system. He has never met with them (Lekki Port).
“The man now holds a press briefing on Tuesday, and expressed worry about the Lekki port cargo evacuation system, and the next day, Lekki Port top officials are here to show solidarity. Is that how we expect things to be done in this country,” the source told Tribune Online exclusively.
Recall that the NSC Executive Secretary/CEO had said that if care is not taken, Nigeria is set to replicate another chaotic traffic situation that is similar to the Apapa gridlock in Lekki environs.
In the words of Honourable Emmanuel Jime, “The Lekki Port will commence operations in September and there is no sign of any rail construction along that axis.
“I predict a difficult cargo evacuation system because the road that feeds the port, the Eleko-Lekki road is in bad shape and not in very good condition.
“We keep hearing that the Lagos State Government is going to expand the road, again we hear that Dangote wants to rebuild the road, but nothing of such is currently happening and the port is expected to commence operations in three months’ time.
“It seems all the stakeholders that are supposed to do these things are working at cross purposes. I fear for the port because as things stand, we are set to repeat Apapa gridlock in Lekki,” the NSC Boss had lamented.
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