By: B. Elums
In response to the earlier request, made by Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku (Onwa) and other maritime stakeholders operating at Onne Seaport, that the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), should carry out more stakeholders’ engagement, before the take off of its E-callup exercise at the port; the NPA yesterday, took relevant stakeholders operating at the port to its proposed bays within and outside the seaport.
The essence of the bays’ visit was to ascertain the level of preparedness of the bay owners for the said kick off of the E-callup exercise by NPA.
It was evident that among the four (4) bays visited, construction work is currently ongoing at Don Climax Bonded Terminal Park, as well as at Water House Marine Park.
At People’s Link Truck Park, stakeholders affirmed of the readiness of the park for the exercise, but pointed that available space at the park may not be able to accommodate as many trucks as expected, hence the need to hasting up the construction of their extension park, as visited by stakeholders.
Work is yet to commence at Freight Forwarding Transport Union Association, while construction and sand filling are currently going on at Water House Marine Park, yet to be extended to its extension park site, as witnessed by stakeholders.
The Export Processing Terminal situated at Onne Seaport, according to Mr. Surajudeen Abolade, Traffic Manager, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Onne Seaport, will serve as a one -stop export processing hub, that will house all the relevant agencies at the port for export and examinations.
It was however, agreed that it might not be compulsory that some relevant agencies must be housed at the Export Processing Terminal, since their offices are already situated at Onne Seaport, and can always come around, when their services are needed at the terminal.
Earlier, the first point of call was at Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) Customs Gate, Onne Seaport, where the E-callup System Control Room is situated. The workability of the proposed exercise was explained by Mr. Timi Koleolu, a consultant to NPA on the E-callup System, through the installed CCTV Camera in the Control Room.
Issues that bothered on network failure, as witnessed in one of the channels on coverage by the CCTV Camera on display, in the event of damaged truck on the road, E-callup time line with terminal operators and mode of payment on loading and returning of container at the port, among others, were raised during the assessment visit to the E-callup Control Room.
Speaking shortly, the Chairman of ANLCA, Onne Seaport chapter, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku solicited for gradual commencement of the exercise, stating that such move will motivate the proposed park owners to hasten the construction activities at their respective parks.
He stressed that their commitment to yesterday’s all day assessment tour, was to give total representation to their members and to keep updating them on daily developments at the port.
While acknowledging the fact that some of the parks are not ready for the take off of the exercise as proposed by NPA; Chief Isikaku equally urged them to play their party, to enable the quick take off of the exercise.
In their responses, the duo of Chief Emeka Nwosu, Chairman, Registered Directors of Freight Forwarders Association of Nigeria and Mr. Obinna Ugochukwu, Chairman, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (ARFFN), Onne Seaport chapter, as well as Hon. Forwarder Ike Anselem Okechukwu, Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF, welcomed the proposed exercise, and used the medium to encourage the proposed park owners to take advantage of their agreement with NPA, for the good of their investments and the maritime industry at large.
They, further lauded the NPA for having listening ears, and responding positively to the issues raised by stakeholders, especially in agreeing to shift the proposed take off date of the E-callup exercise, based on the outcome of the assessment tour.
Responding, shortly after the interactive session at NPA’s Conference Room, Mr. Surajudeen Abolade, Traffic Manager, NPA, who stood on behalf of the Port Manager, Mr. Abulrahmon Hussain, thanked all the relevant agencies for their show of commitment to the proposed exercise, and assured that the outcome of the assessment tour and issues raised by stakeholders would be presented to the management. 
Other relevant agencies present at the assessment tour include: Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NCS), Agricultural Quarantine Services, West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) and Maritime Workers Union (Truck Drivers Unit), among others.
