The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) are set for a comprehensive review of the 11 years old port concession to seek ways of improving upon it.
The acting Director-General of ICRC, Chidi Izuwah, made this known in the latest publication of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) entitled: “The Shipper’’.
The 26 terminals in Nigerian ports were concessioned to private operators in 2006.
Izuwah said that there might be cases where some concessionaires might not have fully recouped their investments.
“The review will not be based on emotions or on untidy or unfair manner.
“It will be based on pure data because anything that needs to be done under the ICRC will be approved by the Federal Executive Council.
“So, whatever the outcome of the review process, every Nigerian will know,’’ Izuwah said.
He explained that the commission had developed a disclosure framework.
“It is a portal where the key information of every concession contract in the country will be disclosed to the public,’’ Izuwah said.
He said that every Nigerian would become an enforcer of concession and government agencies could be indirectly challenged “if they are not living up to their responsibilities’’.
“We are doing everything so that Nigerians can be aware and informed that things are being done in a transparent manner.
“The port concession is doing very well. We might complain about the inadequacies, but let us look at what the ports were about 20 years ago in terms of demurrage.
On Shippers’ Council project on Truck Transit Parks, he said that there would be a bankable study to be done to establish the optimal location to position the parks.
The ICRC chief said that the Federal Government was also aware that port connectivity with the rail was very essential.
“Look at what the Federal Government is doing about the Wharf-Apapa Road.
“The implementation may not be going as fast as it can because of funding, that is why we are working on the side to bring the private sector to help us.
“So, government is working day and night to create a better Nigeria for everybody,’’ Izuwah adds.
