Tinubu declares open 43rd PMAWCA conference

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, in Lagos State, declared open the 43rd annual conference and 18th Managing Director’s Roundtable of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA).

Represented by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, Tinubu charged African countries to collaborate in the interest of the region since the maritime sector is not only central to the facilitation of trade but also to the total integration of Africa for development.

He further said that as a government that believes in the necessity of infusing information technology into public management to aid transparency and ease business processes, his administration is giving the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) all the backing necessary to fast-track the operationalisation of the Port Community System (PCS), which is a precursor to the implementation of the National Single Window.

He says, “we are persuaded that full automation is the only way to go if we plan to remain competitive in the global maritime industry.”

On the sidelines, before delivering the president’s speech, Oyetola restated the need for a comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction of the existing ports where necessary.