IPNEWS: The Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA), Sekou A. Dukuly, has addressed the concerns of protesting Liberian businesses, outlining immediate and long-term measures to address congestion and delays at the Freeport of Monrovia.
Speaking at a press briefing at his Freeport office, Dukuly admitted that the current capacity of the port is low, resulting in about 700 containers staying at the port for over 30 days – a situation he described as “not good” for commerce.
Responding to demands from the business community, Dukuly said the NPA is working closely with port users including APM Terminals and other stakeholders to improve operations.
According to him, APM Terminals has already ordered additional equipment which are expected to arrive in the country soon to boost handling capacity. In addition, the Authority is opening up the unpaved yard to accommodate more containers and allow more ships to berth.
On reforms, Dukuly revealed that the NPA is working with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Ministry of Commerce (MOC), CTN, MedTech and other partners to fully automate the port system.
He said the automation will allow Import Permit Declarations (IPDs) and other processes to be done online, making the system more effective and efficient and reducing physical delays.
In a major announcement, Dukuly also revealed that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has formed the Inter-Ministerial Concessions Committee (IMCC) which has already attracted $280 million in direct capital investment-for the port.
The investment, he said, is expected to transform the Freeport of Monrovia into a modern and competitive facility.
Liberian importers, particularly Women have on Tuesday protested against delays, high demurrage and storage fees linked to port congestion, warning that it is driving up the cost of goods on the local market.
Dukuly assured the business community that the current challenges are being addressed and called for continued collaboration to keep Liberia’s main gateway to trade operational.
