LAGOS – The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has effected the release of critical power equipment belonging to the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) that had been stranded and left idle at various Nigerian seaports.
The development, according to the NDPHC, is expected to accelerate the implementation of critical power projects across the country while helping the company avert potential losses running into billions of naira.
The NDPHC Managing Director, Engr. Jennifer Adighije, disclosed this when she led members of the company’s management team on a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, and his management team in Lagos over the weekend.
Adighije commended the NPA for its timely intervention, describing the release and clearance of the equipment as critical to strengthening Nigeria’s power infrastructure and ensuring the effective delivery of ongoing and planned power projects.
She explained that the equipment was required for the execution of critical projects by the NDPHC, stressing that prolonged delays in recovering and clearing the consignments could have negatively affected project timelines, increased costs and undermined efforts to improve electricity supply.
According to her, the NPA’s action had not only ensured the release of the valuable equipment but had also saved the NDPHC billions of naira in potential losses.
The NDPHC boss therefore called for stronger and sustained collaboration between the NDPHC, NPA and other relevant government agencies in the energy and maritime sectors to prevent bureaucratic bottlenecks and other challenges that could affect service delivery and the timely execution of critical infrastructure projects.
She noted that timely clearance of power-sector equipment was particularly important to ensuring that contractors and project teams had unhindered access to the materials required to execute projects within schedule.
Adighije said the courtesy visit was also aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between the NDPHC and NPA and deepening collaboration in areas of mutual interest.
She expressed appreciation to the NPA Managing Director and his management team for their support, cooperation and commitment to resolving issues affecting the movement of NDPHC equipment through the nation’s ports.
She assured the NPA management that the NDPHC remained committed to further strengthening the relationship between both organisations in the interest of Nigeria’s power sector and national development.
Responding, the NPA Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, commended the NDPHC management for the visit and reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to supporting initiatives and partnerships that promote national development.
Dantsoho congratulated the NDPHC on its contributions to the development of Nigeria’s power sector, noting that efficient and reliable electricity supply remained critical to economic growth, industrialisation and improved living standards.
He assured the NDPHC management that the NPA remained open to meaningful engagements and would continue to collaborate with government agencies and other strategic stakeholders whose activities contribute to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
The NPA boss further assured that the Authority would continue to support initiatives that ensure the smooth movement and clearance of critical equipment, particularly those required for projects capable of strengthening infrastructure and advancing national development.