Hadiza Bala-Usman

 

The Nigerian Ports Authority and the Guangzhou Ports Authority of China have signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding to establish a port relationship that will see both sharing best practices and experience in port operations and management.

The MoU is also aimed at strengthening communication and cooperation on investment and promotion, innovative technologies and personnel exchanges, infrastructural and port scientific technological development.

It will jointly promote effective logistics, trade and information in order to enhance port capacity for the service of regional economy on non-committal basis.

In addition to exchanging regular information and updates on new developments in ports operations, the parties will establish training programmes for management staff and technical specialists and launch planned exchanges for management staff of each other, according to the MoU.

“Friendly exchanges should be carried out in the general areas of expertise, such as loading and unloading equipment, electrical facilities, safety engineering, information technology applications as well as exchange of talents required in the implementation of this MoU; learning from each other and working together for mutual benefits,” the document stated.

It added however that parties to the agreement would not be responsible for their inability to perform any of the obligations contained in it should the inability be caused by unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances beyond the control of the parties.

It added, “The MoU shall terminate upon the occurrence of any of the following events: by either party writing to the other and giving two weeks’ notice to the other; by either party if the force majeure condition set out above makes it unreasonable to continue with the MoU.”

Present at the MoU signing were the Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman; and the Deputy Director General, Guangzhou Ports Authority of China, Yuan Yue.