UNMIL Takes Over NPA Security
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
Disclosing this after a long-hour meeting with port users and UNMIL representatives
at the weekend in Monrovia, NPA Managing Director Joe Gballah said the UN
Mission has decided to take full control of security matter at the Freeport
of Monrovia and other sea ports as a means of ensuring full compliance with
International Code of Security Standards.
According to Mr. Gballah, the new regulations which would go into effect
as of May this year, directs that all port users and their employees, visitors
as well as NPA workers obtain what he referred to as “Access Pass”
before entering port premises.
He noted that the names of visitors, reasons for their visits and other
particulars of those individuals bearing the “Access Pass” would
be spelt out as a means of identification, stressing that “this will
curtail criminal trespassing.”
The NPA boss also told the FORUM that only those in possession of “Access
Pass” would be allowed to enter the Freeport of Monrovia when the
new security regulations go into effect.
He disclosed that all port users have agreed to comply with the regulations
emphasizing that all measures would be communicated to entities connected
to the operations of the National Port Authority before the end of April.
Touching on the recent visit of representatives of the World Bank, Mr. Gballah
informed the journalists that the experts have already submitted their assessment
report in which they mentioned what he referred to as “long-term emergency
program for the port.”
According to him, under the emergency program, attention would be given to the containers pack, equipment, dredging of the port of Monrovia and rehabilitating other essential port facilities.
On the question of removing the Tom Alexandra, which sank at the main pier some years back, Mr. Gballah told reporters that negations have begun with the GSS Group based in Israel, and has agreed to come to Liberia for this purpose.
According to him, it would cost the NPA 2000,000USD.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gballah has described as lies and misleading, claims by Commerce
Minister Samuel Wlue that the high tariff charged by the NPA on rice and
cement is responsible for the hike in the prices of the commodities.
He said the NPA has since reduced the tariff on cement from 3.USD to 1.80USD and from 3.00 to 2.00 for rice based on a request from Commerce Minister Wlue through a letter to him (Joe Gballah).
