* Insists Navy, NIMASA, statutorily required to secure country’s
waters
* Shipping companies hail move
Concerned by threat to national security and the cost of doing
business at the country’s seaport, the Nigerian Ports Authority
(NPA) has notified the Nigerian Navy of its decision to dismantle
the Secure Anchorage Area (SAA), operated on behalf of the Navy by
a private company, OMSL Limited. NPA insisted that the security of
the country’s waterways was the statutory responsibility of the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Marine
Police, and Nigerian Navy, which must all ensure a safe and secure
Nigeria territorial waters.
The move by NPA has been hailed by stakeholders in the maritime
sector, who claimed the initiative was timely to stave off a
financial burden that the consulting company had brought on
them.
A Secure Anchorage Area is an area outside the Lagos port that
the Nigerian Navy, with a private company, has defined as a secure
place where vessels can anchor safely from the threat of pirate
attack.
THISDAY investigation reveals that vessels are charged $2,500
for the first day at the anchorage and $1,500 for subsequent
days.
Numbers obtained by THISDAY also reveals that it takes between
28 and 30 days for a vessel to exit the anchorage.
According to vessel traffic numbers obtained from the NPA, 1,666
vessels called at the Lagos ports alone in a quarter and a minimum
of 55 per cent of vessels that call at the Lagos port stays at the
SAA.
This means that OMSL Limited, allegedly, owned by a prominent
politician penciled to challenge Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki
for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in
2020, on behalf of the Nigerian Navy, collects, averagely, $133.28
million (N47.98 billion) annually. It has been collecting this fee
since 2014.
Worried by this, the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon.
Chibuike Amaechi, had directed the NPA to write a letter to the
Chief of Naval Staff to request that the Navy stopped the operation
of the facility. The NPA, in the letter, stated that the revenue
generated from the operation at a charge of $1,500 per vessel per
day from 2014 to date was neither remitted to it nor the federal
government.
NPA argued that the patrol boat, NNS Dorina P101, as mother
vessel, and the interceptor vessels, NNS Agede P258 and NNS Torie
P259, were all purchased by it for the Nigerian Navy to patrol the
anchorage and not to be designated for use at a facility that has
no relationship with it.
In the letter dated October 9, 2019, which was obtained by
THISDAY, NPA stated, “Sequel to your letter ref:
NHQ/CNS/015/54/00/Vol.X111/695 of January 2018 to the Honourable
Minister of Transportation giving the background to your
involvement with the creation and operation of the Secure Anchorage
for vessels by OMSL, the Honourable Minister had directed that a
letter be written to your service to request that you stop the
operation of this facility for the following reasons listed
below:
“One, by virtue of Port Act (1954), an Anchorage Area is an
integral part of NPA statutory responsibility while NIMASA, Marine
Police and Nigerian Navy ensure a safe and secure Nigeria
territorial waters. Two, the Secure Anchorage Area (SAA) (Centre
Point 06 17’30N/003 12’00E) established by OMSL is located within
the port limit, which should be strictly under the management and
control of the NPA.
“Three, it is established that vessels are directed and
regulated to this facility by OMSL, who NPA does not have
contractual agreement or other with. However, the Navy has a
Memorandum of Understanding with OMSL and is providing security to
the anchorage. Four, the continued operation of this facility by a
private entity could pose security threat to the nation.”
NPA further stated that the operations of SAA added up to high
cost for vessels coming to Nigeria through the charge of $1,500 per
vessel per day.
It said in the letter to the Navy, “To this end, you are
graciously requested to stop the operation of the SAA while a new
framework – nearing conclusion – is being put in place to be
managed by NPA in collaboration with your service and other
government agencies that are critical to the operation of the
anchorage.
“Please note that the authority will issue a notice to Mariners
for the discontinuance of the SAA operation and a consequent
amendment of the British Admiralty Chart-1381.”
When contacted for comments, Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza
Bala Usman, confirmed the development. She stressed, however, that
she was worried entrenched interests might fuel insecurity to give
an impression that the SAA had to stay.
Usman stated, “We have also notified the Nigerian Navy that,
that arrangement cannot continue anymore, and we anticipate a
pushback from the operators of these safe anchorage areas. But we
are going to sustain our position that vessels should not be
charged for safe anchorage area.
“The Nigeria government, Nigerian Navy, should provide that. And
to the extent that the Nigerian Navy requires an additional
support, we would provide that support. But, already, our vessels
that we procured to secure that anchorage are part of the vessels
that they are using to secure the safe anchorage area.”
The NPA managing director added, “I would like to say that any
increase in insecurity in the Lagos waters, as relates to this, we
are going to hold some people responsible, because once you remove,
for example, a safe anchorage, they would try to intentionally
create insecurity. I just needed to sound that as a point of
reference.
“This safe anchorage has been removed, and we would work with
the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA to secure the anchorage. Any attempt
to create any insecurity, to justify the establishment of the safe
anchorage area, would not be accepted, because our anchorage in the
Lagos area has been very safe. We do not have any incidence or
activities of militants in the waterways in this part.”
In their reaction, officials of many shipping companies
applauded the NPA for the bold move, adding that this would go a
long way in reducing port cost. The officials, who did not want
their names in print, disclosed that NIMASA already collected
security fees, saying the multiple fees are a major barrier to the
growth of the shipping industry in Nigeria.