the two Chief Executives of the two ports, Malam Habib Abdullahi of the NPA and Mr Marc Van Peel, President of the Port of Antwerp
From Benjamin a ameh, Lagos
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Port of Antwerp, Belgium are to strengthen their age long collaboration, especially in the areas of manpower training and enhancement of the global transport chain.
To achieve this, the two Chief Executives of the two ports, Malam Habib Abdullahi of the NPA and Mr Marc Van Peel, President of the Port of Antwerp on Tuesday in Lagos had a meeting on ways of strengthening the existing cordial relationship between the two Ports.
Managing Director, NPA, Abdullahi while addressing the press at the end of the meeting recalled the role played by the port of Antwerp at the beginning of the nation’s port reform when the Landlord model was adopted for the nation’s seaports.
He explained that in the current relationship between the two ports, the NPA still stand to gain, to consolidate what has been gained in last eight to nine years of the current concession regime.
Being one of the biggest ports in the world, Abdullahi revealed that the NPA will explore its existing relationship with Port of Antwerp to its own advantage, especially in the areas of manpower training.
While commending the training programmes runs by the APEC – the Port of Antwerp Training School – the Managing Director recalled that several officers of the Authority had benefited from the rich training programme.
On his part, Mr Peel of the Port of Antwerp said he was impressed with the level of activities in the Lagos Port Complex (LPC) in the concession regime.
He expressed confidence that new collaboration between the two ports would be of immense mutual benefits to the two ports.
According to mr Musa IIiya, Asst. General Manager, Public Affairs, the port delegation is part of a 50 man Belgian trade mission to Nigeria under the auspices of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium.
