Managing Director of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, said on Thursday, March 21, that the defects in the facilities at the nation’s ports were hampering efficiency and productivity in the ports.

Koko said the defects at the port include the Quay Wall, the replacement of old gravity walls, and the rehabilitation of Escravos breakwaters.

Koko, who spoke while defending the 2024 budget of the agency said the NPA, is projecting about N629.89 billion in revenue in 2024 while looking for a N200 billion loan from Afrexime Bank and the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF).

According to him, the total projected expenditure is N464.32 billion, while the operating expenses are projected at N212.03 billion, and the capital expenditure stands at N252.29 billion.

He said part of the main thrust of the 2024 budget of the NPA is the urgent need to rehabilitate, reconstruct, and moderate the dilapidated port infrastructure.

He added that it was aimed at improving port efficiency and increasing cargo traffic through investment funding from the financiers, UKEF and Afriexim.

Rep. Nnolin Nnaji, the Chairman of the Committee, said the agency is much dared to the country, adding that the committee needed to visit some of the facilities outside Lagos.

He said: “We need to see those things you are telling us. The House of Representatives is very serious about budget defence, while they do screening on the other side. Budget defence is here.”

He commended the MD for the budget presentation, saying,” I believe in the subsequent budget, the MD would do better, “We accept this budget, and we will move further with it.

The committee also said the drainage channels were full of wreckage, expressing worry over a lack of information on wreckage removal.

The committeee said as long as the NPA avoids the wreckage, it will keep occurring because of the abandoned ships, urging the NPA to look into it. (The Nation)

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