FG approves procurement of tugboats for Lekki port

Segun Oladipupo

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday, approved the procurement of two 80 tins tugboats for operations at the Lekki Deep Seaport.

Briefing state House correspondents at the end of the weekly Council meeting in Abuja, Minister of Transportation, Muazu Jaji Sambo said his two memoranda were approved by the FEC.

According to him, the first memorandum was the renewal of a management ports facilities and the second being procurement of two tugboats for operations at the Lekki Deep Seaport with an aggregate of N26.77 billion.

“The first memo was the renewal of the management contract for the management of Tugs, Pilot Cutters or Mooring Launches within the limits of Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports complex.

“This management contract was signed between Nigerian Ports Authority and Messrs LTT Coastal and Marine Services Limited, initially in April 2007, for a period of 15 years, which therefore meant the agreement had expired March last year.

“The purpose of the memorandum is to seek Council’s approval to renew the management contract, as provided in the management agreement and endorsed by the Bureau of Public Procurement, in favour of Messrs LTT Coastal and Marine Services Limited, for the sum of $29,871,615.22, which is an equivalent of N12,440,332,875.44, inclusive of 7.5% VAT, at an exchange rate of one US dollar to N416.46 .

“The second memorandum that was considered by Council and approved is in respect of a contract for the design, construction and supply of two 80 tons … marine tugboats in order to support the operations of the newly commissioned Lekki Deep Seaport in Lagos.

“The contract was awarded to Messrs the De Pasa Marine International Nigeria Limited in the sum of €30,183,540.20, which is an equivalent of N14,330,329,389.75 at the CBN prevailing exchange rate at the time of payment, inclusive of seven and 7.5% VAT and with a completion period of 15 months”, he said.