The Principal Consultant of an indigenous maritime consulting firm, Blue-Waters Environmental Management Consults Limited, Mr Okey Ibeke, has expressed strong support for the Nigerian PortsAuthority’s(NPA)decision to shut down the operation of a Safe Anchorage Area (SAA) on Lagos waters. NPA recently announced the shutdown of the safe anchorage area being operated by a private firm, OMSL Limited in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy.

“NPA’s action is commendable as it addresses the concern of stakeholders and other concerned Nigerians over the takeover of security of Lagos anchorage area by a private firm on behalf of the Nigerian Navy,” said Ibeke. “It takes courage to take this kind of action.”

Ibeke, an expert in marine environmental governance and management, said that in addition to the security concernsinherent in such a dubious arrangement, “the Safe Anchorage Area which has been in operation since 2014 has been adding to the cost of doing business at the Lagos ports for ship owners who areforced to pay $2,500 for the first day and $1,500 every other day for perceived security threat, for the period their ships anchor at the so-called safe anchorage area.”

Read more : https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/blue-waters-maritime-boss-backs-npa-on-closure-of-saa-calls-for-presidential-probe/