Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Rivers Port Complex, has said it generated $62.3 million and N1.2 billion in 2017, compared to $57.6 million and N772.4 million it recorded in 2016.
Out of the amount generated in 2017, stakeholders in the Rivers Port Complex are yet to remit $42.3 million and N600 million into NPA’s accounts.
Details of the transactions revealed that out of the $62.3 million generated in 2017 by the Port Complex, only $20.6 million has been collected or paid, while out of the N1.2 billion generated within the period, the management of the port only got paid N435.8 million.
Worried by the development, the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, has vowed to put measures in place to recover all outstanding payments.
Speaking during an interactive session with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Usman emphasised the need for all stakeholders to pay promptly.
Represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mohammed Bello-Koko, Usman disclosed that NPA will soon receive Ro-Ro Vessel at Rivers Port Complex.
Earlier, the Port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, Alhaji Abubarkar Umar, said the port has its own challenges “such as lack of finger jetty at the dockyard, lack of operational tugboats, lack of patrol boats, lack of functional water hydrants at the quays, to mention but a few.”
On the achievements, the port manager said, “the serene environment experienced by the stakeholders attracted more importers and increased ship traffic at the port, which led to more revenue generation.
“This also led to the move from the long standing International Ship and Facility Security (ISPS) Code Level 2, to the current Level 1 and we maintain a cordial relationship with stakeholders. Management recently allocated two new security patrol vans to the port.
“Other achievements include responsive management, reduction in vessel turn-around time, improvement in revenue generation and collection, improvement in service delivery, and improved safety guidelines,” he said.