The nation’s maritime sector has donated N1.43 billion to cushion the effect of the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic ravaging the whole world including Nigeria.
The contributions were in form of cash donations, Personal Protective Equipment’s (PPEs) and services to the federal and various state governments battling the deadly COVID-19.
The contributions from the government agencies came from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which contributed N700 million; the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) which donated N10 million; and another N10 million from the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Also, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) donated N6 million while terminal operators donated a total of N700 million. The donations were in cash to the federal and states government fighting the pandemic.
They also include Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for dockworkers, clearing agents, truck drivers and other stakeholders in the maritime sector.
NIMASA which handed over relief materials valued at over N700 million to both Lagos state, federal government and other states battling the pandemic said during the presentation ceremony in Lagos that one ventilator cost N15 million.
According to the director-general of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, “Over 30 ventilators have been acquired, including six fast intervention boats, three fire fighting vehicles, three Ambulances, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), amongst others.”
The agency had earlier made a donation of N50 million cash to contain the spread of the virus. Jamoh, said the agency was working hard to see what strategic efforts it can put in place to put an end the spread of the virus.
Shippers’ Council on its own donated protective gears for port users worth N5 million and an additional N5 million to curb the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Lagos and FCT respectively.
NSC’s executive secretary, Hassan Bello, disclosed that the donation was an intervention by the Council to stakeholders in the sector.
“NSC has donated protective gears for port users worth N5 million to be distributed to relevant field and operational staff. And also donates the sum of N5 million to be used collectively in the fight against COVID-19 in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”
Also, NIWA’s managing director, Kingsley Moghalu who donated N10 million to the fight against the pandemic, said the agency was worried about the ravaging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the nation.
He stated that NIWA, as part of her corporate social responsibilities has graciously donated the sum of N5 million to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and another N5 million to the Lagos state government (LASG).
“This will help government fight the killer virus with more vigor and determination. The management also urged all Nigerians to obey government directives on COVID-19, as the only way to restore sanity and ensure safety and well-being of everybody in the country,” he said.
The registrar of the CRFFN, Barr Sam Nwakohu said, “The breakdown of N6 million are: N2.5 million goes to federal government, while N1.5 million will go to the Lagos state government and N1 million comes to the management of CRFFN. Another N1 million goes to the committees of CRFFN, who are also on the field.”
However, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said it donated its five-star Agura Hotel, Abuja as isolation centre for COVID-19 patients.
Speaking, the general manager corporate and strategic communications, NPA, Engr Adams Jatto said the authority could not give any cash donations as it has already donated its three star hotels in Abuja to be used as isolation center towards curbing the pandemic.
According to him “You are aware that we donated our hotel, the Agura Hotels in Abuja to serve as isolation centre, and we are the first organisation to have done that. For now, we have not made any cash donation but we have done a lot to actually help cushion the effect of this virus” he said.
But, port concessionaires under the aegis of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) on their own collectively donated the sum and PPE worth N700 million to the federal government to support the effort to curtail the spread of the disease.
Giving a breakdown of the amount donated by the terminal operators STOAN chairman, Vicky Haastrup, said APM Terminals Apapa Limited, ENL Consortium Limited and Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL), all operating at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, donated N150 million; N70 million and N10 million respectively to the COVID-19 Relief Fund Account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) and Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) both at the Tin Can Island Port Complex donated N100 million each while Port & Cargo Handling Services; Five Star Logistics, and Josepdam Port Services, who are also operators at the Tin Can Island Port Complex, donated N75 million; N75 million and N60 million respectively.
The STOAN chairman also said that West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne Port donated N50 million, while ECM Terminal, Calabar Port donated N10 million.
She revealed that terminal operators also made donations of various personal protective items such as face masks, hand gloves, coveralls, hand sanitizers and infrared thermometers to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other government agencies at the various port locations across the country.