The Western and Central Africa Port Security (WeCAPS), a technical assistance project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by Expertise France, has called on the Federal Government to invest more in developing security infrastructure at the nation’s seaports.
According to the Group, it will help strengthen the security and safety of port facilities in the country.
Speaking in Lagos recently during the closing ceremony of WeCAPS’ first training mission in Nigeria for ports in the Lagos area, Nico Vertogen, the team leader of WeCAPS, said Nigeria needs to invest in security architecture such as Close Circuit Television (CCTV), access badges, perimeter fencing of the ports and access control facilities.
Commending the Nigeria Ports Authority for its proactive effort in establishing the already existing security architecture at the Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports, Vertogen said it has become very important for ports worldwide to be proactive on security-related issues in order to ensure the safety of lives and property.
Citing an example of the devastating impact of insecurity on ports, he said that visiting the Beirut Port of Lebanon and seeing what is left of it after the recent explosion, has proven the need to enhance security within the port corridor to avoid such threats.
Mohammed Bello-Koko, the managing director of the NPA, commended the European Union for coming up with the WeCAPS Mission geared towards strengthening the security and safety of ports in the region.
Pointing out that the NPA vision is to become the Maritime Logistics Hub in Africa, he said the training mission is coming at a time when the Authority is prioritising safety and security, which is essential to achieving a hub status in the region.
Bello-Koko said the NPA has a vision that prioritises safety and security at the port in line with the WeCAPS mission aimed at delivering efficient port services in a safe, secure and customer-friendly environment.
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The NPA boss also commended the European Union for sponsoring NPA principal officers and upcoming professionals who participated in various WeCAPS-organised international seminars and conferences that recently took place in Douala, Cameroun and Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire.
Earlier, Mohammed Khalil, the general manager, Security of the NPA, said the security training mission, which started in August 2022, was sponsored by the EU and driven by Expertise France in collaboration with the NPA and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
He said the training had afforded NPA the opportunity to collaborate with international organisations such as Expertise France, Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) USA, and others to address identified gaps and vulnerabilities in the ports with a view to enhancing Nigeria’s operational efficiency and service delivery.
He explained that the training was built around a detailed assessment report of ports in the Lagos Maritime Security Zone conducted in April 2022 together with the WeCAPS team of experts aimed at strengthening the capacity of human capital in various areas of port operations.
“Ports are among the nation’s critical national infrastructure and assets in the maritime transportation systems. As an integral part of the global maritime logistics and supply chain, the safety and security of the ports are paramount to the well-being of the global economy,” he said.
Khalil also commended the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA for ensuring a safe and secured maritime domain through the implementation of the Deep Blue Project.
Also, Isa Mudi, the head of the ISPS Unit of NIMASA, commended WeCAPS for its immense commitment to port safety and security in Nigeria.
He said the workshop is among a series of engagements under the technical assistance programme WeCAPS and World Maritime University offer.
“The maritime industry is such a closely knit community that security threats can migrate from a vulnerable port in one country to a seemingly less vulnerable one in another, using ships as a ‘conduit’ for migration,” Mudi said.
According to Isa, the Gulf of Guinea (GOG) region, which houses Nigerian water, is experiencing an unprecedented decline in piracy incidents, which has not happened for the past three decades.
About 150 officers and staff were trained by WeCAPS in areas of Security, Fire, Safety, Environment, Operations, Harbours, Legal, Training and Public Private Partnership.
