NPA to partner UNCTAD on capacity building

The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdullahi, has said that the Authority is prepared to partner with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on its Train for Trade Port Training Programme so that it can continue to keep abreast of developments in port operation.

Abdullahi said this yesterday while receiving a delegation of the United Nation’s institution who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Lagos.

He said training is important to NPA, stressing that because of the competition from other ports in the West Africa sub-region, there is need to acquire necessary skills that will facilitate efficient and smooth port operations.

He directed the organisation’s Human Resources Division to liaise with the UNCTAD team to determine areas of needs and how best both parties can mutually benefit from each other.

Speaking earlier, leader of the UNCTAD delegation, Mark Assaf, said the Train for Trade Port Training Programme, which is run in conjunction with Irish Aid of the Irish Government, operates through four language based networks; English, French, Portuguese and Spanish in Africa, Asia, Euroupe and Latin America .

Assaf said the programme is part of UNCTAD’s Corporate Social Responsibility to developing countries and a way of showing commitment to ports operations globally.

While urging the NPA management to assist in mobilising other stakeholders in the maritime industry to key into it, he said the programme has been of immense benefit to participating countries.

The UNCTAD delegation which also met with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Shippers Council, terminal operators, freight forwarders, Nigeria Customs Service, and Port Consultative Council, also toured Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port.

Other members of the delegation include Mr John Moore of Dublin Port, Ireland and John On’eil of Port of Belfast, Northern Ireland.