Port infrastructure: NPA upgrades control tower

The Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is poised to ensure optimal utilisation of its facilities across the nation’s seaports with a view to position the ports on a competitive edge in the West and Central African sub region.

The Acting Managing Director of the NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko made this assertion recently while on a facility tour of the newly rehabilitated control tower located at the Lagos Ports Complex LPC, Apapa.

Bello koko said it had become expedient for port facilities to be upgraded so as to impact positively on port operational efficiency. He added that effective communication is an important variable for efficient performance of the seaports.

“We aspire to be competitors in the sub region. One of the ways to achieve this is by ensuring our facilities such as the control towers are up-to-date and upgraded to work with modern communication and radar systems. This would improve communication, reduce ship waiting time and further reduce the cost of doing business at our ports”, the MD said.

On the welfare of the pilots, he said the NPA places premium on the comfort of this very valued category of staff of the Authority. We are committed to the welfare of the pilots, pointing out that matters concerning the pilots’ accommodation, medical care and recreational facilities at the rehabilitated nine storey control towers are world-class with the provision of facilities such as sleeping quarters, gym, canteens, kitchens and meeting/conference rooms for the pilots and other harbours staff.

In conformity with the above, a second control tower at Tincan is also being upgraded to provide communication with ships using the VHF frequency.

The rehabilitated control towers will also have updated radar and communication equipment that will enable communication between the ports in Lagos and Lekki deep sea port and Dangote refinery jetty.

Bello koko also said, “We are deploying more marine equipment like pilot cutters and security patrol boats at various port locations in order to improve port efficiency and security around the ports

“We will ensure that we engage you for optimal performance”, he stressed.

In a related development, Mohammed Bello Koko has allayed the fear of stakeholders over insinuations that the activities of hoodlums at the Tin Can Island Port may negatively affect the progress already recorded by the truck electronic call-up system ‘Eto’ in terms of tackling the perennial gridlock at the ports in Lagos area.

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