E-payment has improved Onne ports operations — Munir, Port Manager

By GODFREY BIVBERE

Port Manager of Onne Port, Umar Munir, has said that the introduction of e-payment by the authority’s management has helped in improving operations at the ports.

Disclosing this in his office, Umar said that the introduction of e-payment has helped to reduce cargo clearing time as well as ship turn around time at the port. He pointed out that in the past, importers and their agents had to return to the port after making payment for confirmation.

He explained that NPA still had to contact the banks to ensure that payment was actually made, thereby causing delay in both cargo and ship dwell time. He stressed that it is only then that the authority can issue receipt for the payment.

Umar explained that a command and control center recently set up at the head office had made information about ship position at the various ports across the country known. He noted that the center can effectively monitor and control any form of delay at the berths in any port.

This, he noted, has resulted in much improvement on vessel and cargo traffic which means improvement in revenue that comes in and improvement in turnaround of vessels.

He said that the capacity utilisation of the port has hit 85 per cent with near completion of phase 4 infrastructural development. He pointed out the contract for phase 4B has also been signed by the Federal Government with Intels Nigeria Limited.

He disclosed that they talk directly with their customers and potential ones to come directly to them, particularly those in the oil and gas sector, bearing in mind that this port is designated oil and gas free zone that specializes in handling oil and gas-related businesses.


- Culled from: http://www.vanguardngr.com