NPA Budgets N4.3Bn on Roads to Apapa Port

Managing Director of The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Usman, has said the agency would raise N4.3 billion to reconstruct access roads around Apapa Port and make provisions for an annual budget for the reconstruction of the roads.

According to Ms Usman, the NPA would provide N1.8 billion, while Dangote Group and Flour Mills would provide N2.5 billion.

The said roads are broken down and port operators have withdrawn services over poor infrastructure.

During a stakeholders’ meeting, she said “We have received proposal for Corporate Social Responsibility of N2.5 billion from Dangote Group and Flour Mills for the full reconstruction of port roads. The reconstruction entails full drainage service and the total cost of the Apapa port access roads project is N4.3 billion; the two entities are willing to provide N2.5 billion, while NPA will pay the remaining N1.8 billion to ensure that the roads are done…

“I feel concerned about the deplorable state of these roads and I communicated at a meeting with the minister that we are willing to fund these roads irrespective of which agency of government is doing it, she said.

Usman, who attributed the congestion around Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports to lack of an effective holding bay, trailer parks and non-reconstruction of ports roads in Lagos, commended the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, for dialoging with port operators who had protested poor infrastructure at the port.