The Nigerian Ports Authority has cancelled the contract for the
$2.6bn Badagry deep seaport project, stating that the deep seaport
master plan was wrongly done. This is even as the agency explained
that it had begun the process for fresh bids for the approval of a
new port master plan for the Badagry deep seaport project.
The Managing Director of the NPA, Hajia Hadiza-Bala Usman, was
reported to have explained that what was currently required in
Nigeria was to fast-track the development of deep seaports that
would make the nation’s seaports competitive.
She said, “The Outline Business Case for Badagry deep seaport
was reviewed. Some of the responsibilities of the government were
taken and put in the OBC for Badagry port. I have objected to that
and written to the Federal Ministry of Transportation on this. I
have also written letters to the promoters of the Badagry deep
seaport, telling them that roles like marine services are
responsibilities of the government as stipulated within the Port
Act. So they cannot take it away and say they are going to provide
such services. We are currently discussing with them to review the
projects OBC so that it states what their obligations are and what
the government’s obligations are.
“And while doing that, we also understand that they will need a
Port Master Plan. That is also a challenge that we have with the
Badagry project. When I assumed office, I inherited a consultant
that was supposed to do a Port Master Plan for the Badagry project,
but the consultant did a very bad job. When we took the job to the
consultant that did the project’s Terms Of Reference, our internal
people looked at it and said it wasn’t good enough. Even the
consultant that did the TOR confirmed that the job wasn’t properly
done.
“So because of these issues, we cancelled the contract, and the
project’s promoters took us to court. We are currently in
arbitration. Now we are working on re-awarding the contract. I just
gave the go-ahead for the engagement of another consultant that
will do the Port Master Plan. The master plan will allow us to know
where ports should be deployed in the country in-view of
environmental issues, in view of commercial and financial
liabilities.
“If you look at the Badagry and the Lekki deep seaport projects,
they are all within the Western ports. The port master plan will
guide us on whether it is okay to have two deep seaports in close
proximity to each other.”
Bala-Usman argued that in line with the change in the dynamics
of the shipping industry, larger vessels were now calling at
seaports worldwide.
She added that the large vessels required a draft of 17meters to
18meters and it was not possible to dredge a channel of five meters
to 17meters.
“So what we need to do now is to prioritise having those deep
seaports that will have the required draft for larger vessels.
“Our ports are river ports, and we need to move on to have deep
seaports. In that area, we are working with Lekki deep seaport. We
have signed the necessary papers, and they are in the process of
completing their payment as regards their financing terms. They
have built the breakwater. We are hoping that it will be a
milestone achievement. We also have other proposals like the Ibom
deep seaport and the Ibaka deep seaport.”
The Federal Government had earlier emphasized the establishment
of deep seaports to decongest Apapa port. President Muhammadu
Buhari also directed that all ports constructed in the future must
have rail links to move cargoes by sea and avoid the current
pressure on the roads and bridges.