COVID 19: NPA wants terminal operators to give 14 rent-free days to importers

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, has directed terminal operators to give rent-free days for a period of 14 days to enable Nigerians clear their cargoes during the lockdown. The federal government penultimate Sunday ordered a 14-day lockdown in Lagos and Ogun states and the Federal Capital Territory to […]

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, has directed terminal operators to give rent-free days for a period of 14 days to enable Nigerians clear their cargoes during the lockdown.

The federal government penultimate Sunday ordered a 14-day lockdown in Lagos and Ogun states and the Federal Capital Territory to enable health officials from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

It, however, ordered the seaports to be operational through the period of lockdown.

Usman, addressing newsmen at the ENL Terminal, Apapa, said, “We have notified the terminal operators to give rent-free days for a period of 14 days. This was even before the lockdown happened. We have engaged with them on the level of cushion we are going to provide for them.

“The federal government will look at the amount that they forfeited by giving importers rent-free days and government will reimburse them through credit for the amount that they gave up for letting consignees keep their cargoes in their location. However, we will not encourage this going forward so as not to give room for congestion,” she said.

On why the NPA embarked on the inspection, Usman said, “This inspection will enable us identify special issues that we need to escalate to the presidential taskforce to make them understand that while the port environment is functional, there is also need for us to connect to the larger eco space because the port is not in isolation, the port also works with other entities that are not domiciled in the port.

“They have told us what their challenges are in terms of operations and we have addressed them. What is important is that there is a clear protocol as it relates to vessels that are calling in the port in tandem with the port health. The port corridor is what is key and we are working to ensure that every other stakeholder is aware that the port is functional.”