As part of measures to boost operational efficiency through improved infrastructure and equipment renewal, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko, along with the Executive Management team on Thursday commissioned Control Towers of the Lagos Port Complex and Tincan Island Port.
Control towers in port operations serve a multiplicity of functions such as vessel traffic management, navigation assistance, advanced visibility, safety and security, emergency response, communication, resource management, and disaster risk mitigation, amongst other crucial functions.
Speaking at the event, Bello Koko explained that enhanced safety and security remain crucial operational preconditions necessary for the country’s seaports to actualise its strategic intent of becoming the maritime logistics hub in Africa for sustainable port services.
According to him, the multiplicity of functions performed by a Control Towers, which include vessel traffic management, navigation assistance, advanced visibility, safety and security, emergency response, communication, resource management and disaster risk mitigation, among several other crucial functions, are the reasons the management team of the NPA under his watch placed special priority on equipping the facility.
He explained that sustainably providing efficient port services in a safe, secure, and customer-friendly environment requires that the NPA ensures and assures that it is up to date in terms of skills and equipment. Bello-Koko, therefore, assured that beyond the official commissioning of the facility, the management team led by him has resolved to continually equip and re-equip the facility while training and re-training its users to be best-in-class.
He said: ” The commissioning of the Control Towers signposts our unwavering commitment towards improving operational efficiency through aggressive infrastructure and equipment renewal.
“Given the decrepit and non-functional state we met this facility, the decision to invest so much towards making it a state-of-the-art and well-equipped edifice was made taking cognisance of the need to equip our highly cherished and well-trained marine talents with the right tools and comfort required to deliver efficient services to our stakeholders.
“It would be pertinent to mention that we are in partnership with the Nigerian Navy, to have our signal stations rehabilitated, re-equipped and located near the naval base for improved communication. Also, we are in partnership with NLNG Ship Management Limited to provide VTS that will ensure improved operational efficiency.
“Undoubtedly, a lot of hard work was put to make this project a reality, so I want to commend the Marine & Operations Directorate, Engineering, Training, Facilities Management and all other departments who partnered with them to actualise this remarkable feat.
“The benefits of this investment such as reduction in the cost of training, improved capacity to monitor quality, speed, convenience and deepening of local content amongst others will certainly make us all proud to be a part of this noble cause.
“I also wish to state that the commissioning of this communication and data-generating facility which enhances our capacity to collate, organise and distribute vessel data with relevant stakeholders in a consistent format is timely, as it is coming at a time when the series of efforts geared towards having a Port Community System PCS necessary to make our ports more competitive and thus attractive for greater vessel traffic are beginning to crystallise.”
He urged the users of the facility, especially the harbours officers and pilots to take adequate care of the facility in terms of using and sustaining it to continually achieve the goals for which it was set up, warning that the management will not take it kindly with any officer, who subjects the facility to abuse
Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Hon. Onari Brown, who also spoke at the official commissioning, also urged the relevant departments designated to work at the facility to ensure that it is put to proper use in the overall interest of the country’s port industry.
He, however, appreciated other directorates and departments that jointly worked over the period to make the ultra-modern facility a reality, adding that the success story of the facility is a result of synergy, and teamwork. The new Port Manager of the LPC, Charles Okaga, who also spoke at the event, praised the courage of the current management in upgrading the facility, which was before now out of date to global standard
