- Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh (left), Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, Ag Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, and Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Emmanuel Jime, during an inspection tour of the Lekki Deep Seaport…over the weekend
By Anthony Nwachukwu
With construction work at the Lekki Deep Seaport presently over 55 per cent completed, the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has expressed satisfaction with the level of progress and urged the promoter and other stakeholders to work relentlessly to ensure that the port becomes operational by mid-2022.
The minister, who commended the port promoter for the progress of work during an inspection tour of the facility, said he was “very delighted and impressed with the pace and progress of construction work” since his last visit in November 2020.
According to him, “the promoter of the project – Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, has demonstrated strong commitment and capacity to deliver the project as agreed.”
Briefing the entourage on the status of construction at the port, the Chairman of Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, Mr. Abiodun Dabiri, disclosed that the entire port construction was currently at 55.48 per cent completion.
According to him, dredging and reclamation has reached 61,11 per cent, quay wall 50.39 per cent, breakwater 67.49 per cent, while the landside infrastructure development is at 33.70 per cent completion.
Dabiri assured the minister and other stakeholders that the project was on course and going according to schedule, stating that construction work would be completed at the end of the third quarter of 2022, and commercial operations commence by the fourth quarter of 2022 as planned.
“We understand the significance of this project to the Nigerian economy and we would not fail to play our part to ensure that it is delivered as and when due,” he assured.
He further thanked the minister and his team for providing the necessary support that has assisted the company to deliver on the mandate, adding that upon completion, Lekki Port would be a world-class facility with best in class equipment to ensure seamless operations, and would meet global environmental protection standard.
According to Dabiri, Lekki Port is the deepest seaport in the sub-Saharan African region and will serve as its trans-shipment hub.
Also speaking, the Ag Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, assured of the agency’s readiness to play its part to ensure the smooth take-off of port operations upon completion of work, adding that the agency has commenced the process of acquiring all necessary marine equipment, including tug and mooring boats.
Others on the inspection visit included the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Emmanuel Jime, and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh.
