…Seeks regular Stevedores training, handling equipment upgrades at Nigerian Ports
A prominent player in Nigeria’s maritime industry, P&H Nova Group has called for the construction of more deep seaports across the country to decentralize maritime activities from Lagos and stimulate economic growth in other regions.
Prince Hillary Anekwe, Chairman of P&H Nova Development and Procurement Limited who made this call during a media interaction at the end of a staff training program on Monday, titled, “Effective Maritime Personnel Operations Workshop”, held at the company’s office in Victoria Island, Lagos, noted that the country’s ports often lack the depth to accommodate larger vessels, which limits business opportunities.
According to Anekwe, port depth in Nigeria was around 14.8 meters, while in Ghana, it was about 18.4 meters adding that deeper ports allow for more ships which according to him, means more business.
Speaking on the staff training workshop, the P&H Nova Group boss advocated for regular training programs for stevedores and significant upgrades to handling equipment at Nigerian ports, stressing the importance of regular training, equipment maintenance, and safety compliance as key factors in enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
He explained the necessity of regular training for port operators, emphasizing that many employees often lack a comprehensive understanding of their company’s operations.
“It’s quite common that many companies, when you go into their offices and interview their workers, you will find out that almost 50 or 60% of workers don’t know what the company does. They are only interested in their salary. But we make it mandatory that people working with us have to know what we’re doing”, he stated.
While detailing the broad spectrum of business activities undertaken by P&H Nova Group, Prince Hillary noted, “We are actively involved in the purchasing and supply of handling equipment, and we also sell to port operators both in Nigeria and abroad. Our goal is to ensure that these operators have access to the best quality equipment needed to enhance their operations.
“Apart from the equipment, we supply high-quality Personal Protective Equipment, PPE to ensure the safety of port workers. We have partnerships with several companies in Asia known for producing top-tier PPE products.”
Prince Hillary also discussed the importance of training in the Group’s business model saying, “We don’t just supply equipment; we also offer comprehensive training services for port workers on how to operate and maintain these handling equipment. It’s crucial that they understand not only how to use the equipment but also how to keep it in good working condition.”
Prince Hillary further highlighted the importance of training programs, stating that they help cultivate a more knowledgeable and motivated workforce. “We believe bringing in more professional people to lecture the port workers is important”, he said, expressing his satisfaction with the workshop’s proceedings.
He also also stressed the importance of maintaining safety standards in the maritime sector, particularly through the use of Personal Protective Equipment, PPE.
“Every organization, especially the Directors, should make it compulsory for everyone working in maritime to wear PPE,” Prince Hillary noted, advocating for stricter enforcement of safety regulations to prevent accidents and promote a culture of safety.
He stressed the need for security officials on Nigerian waters to make it compulsory for everyone to use PPE because according to him, PPE is life.
“When you wear your PPE, especially life jackets on the waterways, in case of an accident, safety personnel can easily rescue you. Without PPE, it’s difficult for divers to even come close. So, PPE is very important, and it should be made compulsory”, he declared.
Also speaking, Mr. James Kitiya, Regional Managing Director of P&H Nova Development and Procurement Limited underscored the need for continuous skill enhancement among stevedores and other port operators.
“Even if you’ve been working for 18 years on handling equipment, you need to refresh your skills and mindset”, he stated.
Mr. Kitiya, crane expert, suggested that each port should conduct training sessions at least once or twice a year to keep operators up to date with the latest industry practices and safety protocols.
“Different companies offer training, and their people are doing well. Each port should provide training sessions every year or even every six months. During these sessions, we show them incidents that happened at other ports, ask about their challenges, and discuss performance issues.
“Often, they can’t speak openly to management, but they can share their thoughts with us as external experts.
For instance, in another port in Nigeria, the complaint was about the stevedoring company not performing well. However, this stevedoring company is one of the best in Nigeria. When we were invited, we observed issues like scheduling breaks.
“For example, if the shipping company tells workers to take a break at 1 o’clock but delays bringing the staff bus for 30 minutes, workers get frustrated. They barely have time to eat, which affects their performance.
“There are many things to improve: better training, ensuring operators have classes every six months to refresh their skills, and making practical changes. Operators don’t rely on books; they handle equipment. So, how do we relate to them and ensure they’re performing optimally? We have to train them, bring in mentors, and discuss improvements.”
Mr. Kitiya also addressed the issue of equipment maintenance, pointing out that while Nigerian ports are relatively well-equipped, there is still room for improvement. He particularly commended the Lekki Deep Seaport as being the most sophisticated in terms of port handling equipment.
“The Lekki Ports are fully prepared and are hungry and waiting for vessels. Lekki Ports are fully ready”, he said.
However, as regards other ports across the nation, Kitiya said, “Some equipment has been in use for a long time and requires update. Equipment has a certain lifespan, and after a number of years, it needs replacement”, he explained.
He emphasized the need for ports to prioritize regular maintenance to extend the lifespan of their equipment and ensure optimal functionality.
“In Nigeria, we call second-hand equipment “Tokumbo.” But at P&H Nova Group, we don’t buy equipment that is more than 12 years old. If it’s more than that, we don’t sell or buy it. For example, we can buy mobile cranes from any port in Africa or supply them, but they have to meet our criteria.”
P&H Nova Development Procurement Limited is a company that offers construction, marine, overhaul and personal protective equipment to distinguished clients in the field of maritime.
The training seminar, facilitated by the Ports and Terminal Management Academy of Nigeria (POTMAN), featured several industry experts, including Dr. Babatunde Samuel, the Rector of POTMAN; Dr. Sampson Chima, Registrar of the Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS); Mr. Enenche Adagayi Abraham, a transport and logistics expert; and Mr. Olayanju Damilare, a lecturer at POTMAN.
Photo: Prince Hillary Anekwe, Chairman of P&H Nova Development and Procurement Limited.
Send your press invite, news, press releases/articles to augustinenwadinamuo@yahoo.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @PrimetimeRepor1 and on Facebook on facebook.com/primetimereporters or call the editor on 07030661526.
