Determined to open up the long-awaited $1.55 billion Lekki Deep Seaport for economic activities, the Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, (LPLEL), promoters of the port project, have again reassured Nigerians especially port users of its commitment to meet the 2022 project completion date.
Du Ruogang, managing director of the Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, gave the assurance in Lagos during a recent media tour of the project site to assess the progress of the construction work at the Lekki Port site.
According to him, construction works at the port site has so far moved at a fast pace reaching 51 percent completion level recording some major milestones including completion of the eastern breakwater.
Ruogang said that all hands are already on deck to deliver first of its kind Deep Seaport in Nigeria as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), one of the shareholders, had commenced work to initiate marine services at the port site.
He expressed confidence that the Lekki Deep Seaport would change the narrative of Nigeria’s maritime sector, and consequently impact Nigeria’s economic development positively.
According to him, Lekki Port is estimated to have an aggregate economic impact of US$ 361 billion over 45 years concession period, creating a minimum of 169,972 jobs and generating revenue for both State and Federal Government agencies through the collection of taxes, royalties, and duties.
He however noted that the project has succeeded in providing employment opportunities for about 1,200 Nigerians including 50 people from the host community.
Speaking on some of the features of the Deep Seaport, Steven Heukelom, chief technical officer of LPLEL, said that five ship-to-shore cranes and 15 rubber tyre gantry (RTG) cranes are being put in place to ensure ease of cargo evacuation, thus enhancing operations at the Port.
Heukelom further disclosed that the Port which is being constructed on 90 hectares of land based on Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) arrangement, would comprise of three containers, three liquid, and one dry bulk berths.
He said that 55.75 percent of the dredging and reclamation works have so far been achieved while construction of the quay wall has reached 43.14 percent.
On the landside infrastructure made up of administrative buildings, sewage treatment plants, container yards among others, he said construction work is ongoing with completion reaching 27.18 percent.
