.Lists priorities as IAPH VP for Africa .Applaud FG’s support, vision for blue economy

Eromosele Abiodun in Kobe, Japan

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has said that the ongoing ports reconstruction across Africa will engender efficiency, trade facilitation and revolutionise the industry in the continent.

Dantsoho stated this yesterday during his inauguration as the Vice President, Africa, International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) in Kobe, Japan.

According to him, “Now, for those of us from Africa, we are normally identified as the new frontier because of the great potentials of our continent. The continent of Africa has a population of about 1.5 billion people. In terms of coastline, we have about 34,000 km of coastline. Unfortunately, in the area of infrastructure and the port system, we have been falling behind. And now we have realised that it is important to do a lot of catching up very quickly.

“I want to say that it is interesting to observe that most of the ports in Africa now are putting a lot of funding into port infrastructure. For example, we have the Simado project in Guinea Conakry, which is going for about $11 billion. We have projects like that in Morocco, $2.5 billion and Nigeria, $1.5 billion to develop this infrastructure. This is a game changer for us.

He added, “For us, I think that is the most important step to take because the infrastructure has been very old. So we need to have this new one so we can accommodate all kinds of capabilities to the specific diversions. In any case, not only having the capability to receive the diversions for Africa is important, I think it is also important to have the efficiency to be able to also receive medium-sized and even smaller services.”

Outlining is agenda as IAPH Vice President, he said: “Your excellences, very distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I count it a great privilege and a good fortune to be part of the noble cause that being inaugurated as VP IAPH for Africa means to me.  I am poised with the support of my highly respected colleagues to contribute to advancement of the fortunes of global trade as follows: “Policy Implementation: This responsibility has fired up my resolve more than ever before, to be vanguard of galvanizing national and regional policy action steps geared towards institutionalizing ports eco-friendliness in line with the dictates of IAPH’s World Ports Sustainability Program.

Renewed Collaboration & Cooperation: “Reinvention and Prosperity in Turbulent Times” through the deployment of port innovativeness to capture tangible, sustainable investment returns in high-risk environments is a global exigency that the world can most efficiently surmount if IAPH members speak with one voice through renewed collaboration and cooperation.

Trade Facilitation: Cognisant of the catalytic role of automation as the linchpin of ports efficiency and sustainability, I intend to infuse greater action behind the necessity of full automation of African Ports as the most veritable tool for elimination of barrier to trade.”

He added that he intends to deploy my current role as President of the Pan-African Association for Port Cooperation (PAPC) to more intentionally promote collaboration and cooperation.

On the need for investment more in technology, he said, “So we are seeing that in the way we are approaching improvements in the area of technology. For example, a majority of the ports in Africa, especially in West Africa now, have capabilities in the area of profitability systems.

“So these are processes or approaches that we are going to continue to improve upon. And then we have realised that these are also capital-intensive projects that cannot be done by individual countries. So we are going to continue to promote collaboration, partnership, and then especially we are going to also do a lot in the area of trust and relationship with advanced economies so that they can feel the comfort and the assurance of community-based outcomes.”

He applauded the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola for his drive and vision for the blue economy.

He acknowledged that without the ministers’ support, the achievements he has recorded so far would not have been possible.