Critical Assessment of Delay Factors and Effects on Productivity in Nigerian Ports Authority: A Case Study of Rivers Ports Complex

Abstract

This paper reviews the nature, characteristics, strategies, mode of operations, problems and attendant consequences of delay factors that has hampered the growth, development, productivity and operation efficiency of the port industry over years. Delay factors have been in existence from the period of the pre-concession era to the post concession era. These factors have hampered the productivity of Nigerian ports, thereby preventing the ports from attaining its optimal performance. Even with the introduction of private terminal operators in 2006, even with increased infrastructural facilities by the terminal operators at the beck and call of port’s industry, in spite of this, there are still traces of delays in operations of the ports. This research is centered at identifying these delay factors, point out its causative factors, assess the attendant delay factors therein and the extent to which they have caused damage, using River port complex Port Harcourt as case study, the following delay factors were identified. i. Government policy inconsistency ii. Lack of Infrastructural facilities iii. Poor planning iv. Port managerial problem v. Poor dredging vi. Dock workers problem It was observed that poor planning had the highest impact, followed by government policy inconsistency and infrastructural facilities while others had quite a significant impact on the productivity of the port. However, recommendations were made to help solve completely the issue of delays in the productivity of Nigerian ports.