In compliance with an Executive Order issued by Acting President,
Yemi Osinbajo, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA has commenced the
implementation of new security protocols in all the sea ports in the country. By implication, all touts and hawkers are now banned in the port, while clearing agents and motor-boys will be stopped from hanging
around and constituting crowd in the Port. This
is contained in a statement made available to the press by the agency on Tuesday.
The Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, has
according to the statement, directed full and immediate compliance with the
executive order by all officials of the agency. As part of the implementation
process, the surveillance
of illegal vessels movement by Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence
(C3I) Centre and regular patrols of waterfront and common user areas
and terminals by joint security teams has already started.
It
was also gathered that all security agencies are being sensitized on their
specific roles procedures for enforcing security in the ports and environs in
order to achieve a synergy between all security agencies in carrying out
security at the ports in line with the International Ships and Port Facility
Security (ISPS) code.
According
to the statement, the management of NPA has commenced ongoing illumination of
port common user areas and fencing of Tincan Island Port Complex to ward off
unauthorized access by miscreants, while
liaising with Lagos State Government for the illumination of port access roads.
Also
in line with the Executive Order, all security personnel are to display their
on-duty cards while on duty while all off-duty personnel are now
completely banned from the ports. A new ID card for staff and retirees with
improved features and better production quality is also being proposed while
the procedures for issuing port passes and access cards are being reviewed.
As
part of moves to ensure seamless operations at the port, a joint patrol team
comprising NPA Security, Port Authority Police, Customs and DSS will be
constituted to carry effective patrol in the Port on hourly basis.
A security operations room will also be established to monitor all port
activities.
Acting
President Yemi Osinbajo earlier this month in an Executive Order directed that “the Apapa Port shall resume 24-hour operations within 30 days of
the issuance of this Order and there shall be no touting whatsoever by official
or unofficial persons at any port in Nigeria.’’
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