By Amos Tauna
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.’’