A pilotage firm, Escravos Ship Pilot Nigeria Limited (ESPNL), has given reasons why the Warri Port is poor.

LEADERSHIP reports that ESPNL was recently contracted by the federal government to conduct pilotage services on ships sailing out of Warri pilotage district.

The Technical Director of ESPNL, Captain Charlie Tobi, in a letter dated 20th Dec, 2023, signed by him and addressed to the Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority, (NPA), Koko Bello, said a sting operation carried out on operators of oil service boats in the mandate area revealed that majority of them have not been presenting for signing/endorsement the mandatory documents, particularly “the Master Declaration Sheet’.

“Majority of the recalcitrant oil service boat operators have been colluding with unnamed NPA top officials who, in effect, have been letting them off the hook on issuing them what is known in the local parlance as ‘off record’, after receiving unspecified gratifications, thus diverting revenue meant for the federal government to private pockets.

“Operators of all oil service boats within the operational area are mandated to sign/endorse their “Master Declaration Sheet” showing the particulars of the ship, the owners, agents, cargo type as well as the gross registered tonnage, among others, in the course of any voyage undertaken for NPA’s record and for the safety of the vessel.

“This is one of the reasons why the Warri Port is poor. The bad eggs within the NPA have been sabotaging the good efforts of the federal government. The alleged collusion of operators of oil service boats with officers has been shortchanging the NPA of revenue to the tune of millions of naira.

“The management lacks funds to rebuild the Escravos submerged breakwaters but these set of people are diverting the revenue that is supposed to come to the NPA’s purse. Only revenue generated from oil service boats is enough to rebuild the breakwaters” Tobi stated.

While urging NPA to wade in urgently into the matter, sharp practices at the Warri pilotage district of Delta state, he called for sanction 9f any Ports official found to be implicated in the nefarious activities.