President Bola Tinubu, will on Monday, declare open a roundtable of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA), to discuss seaports role in achieving African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The hosting of the 43rd Annual Council and 18th Managing Directors roundtable, titled, ‘the Role of Ports in AfCFTA,’ by NPA was in recognition of its remarkable improvements in advancing the frontiers of trade facilitation in the west and Central Africa region.
According to a statement made available to LEADERSHIP, the platform was for the cross-fertilisation of ideas, experiences and knowledge sharing to guide necessary policy action towards maximising the maritime comparative advantage of the sub-region.
Speaking on Nigeria’s preparedness and expectations from the conference, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the gathering was timely as it would provide opportunities for Nigeria’s growing youth population.
“This gathering of maritime experts is very timely as it is coming when Nigeria is eager to provide the leadership necessary to convert our marine and blue economy potentials to actualities in a bid to provide opportunities for our growing youth population.”
He added that “to demonstrate the premium we place on maximising the emerging opportunities of AfCFTA which is the focal point of the conference, we have given the Nigerian Ports Authority all the support necessary for a flawless hosting.”
However, the managing director, NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, stated that the authority is ready to provide regional leadership in port competition in West and Central Africa.
Speaking on the sidelines of the roundtable, Bello-Koko, said the authority was inspired by the uncommon trade facilitation orientation of President Bola Tinubu.
According to the NPA boss, the president is endorsing some of the authority’s initiatives for the maximisation of its littoral assets under the auspices of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
“Our confidence in hosting this conference in demonstration of our readiness to provide regional leadership in Port competitiveness is inspired by the uncommon trade facilitation orientation of Mr. President who is already endorsing some of our initiatives for the maximisation of our littoral assets under the auspices of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy,” the NPA boss said.
