Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Federal Government has said that steps were being taken on security and provision of infrastructure at eastern ports, aimed towards improving patronage of seaports at the eastern region.
Eastern ports include, the Onne seaport, Port Harcourt seaport, Warri seaport, Calabar seaport, Koko seaport, Onitsha inland port, amongst others.
The Minister of the Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, said the development of alternative seaports in the country was necessary to relieve the pressures on Lagos seaport, noting that Lagos port had been beserked with gridlocks as a result of influx of cargoes in the port.
Amaechi spoke at a Stakeholders Sensitization Workshop on the Patronage of Eastern Ports in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, disclosed that the government has slashed the period required for import and export documentation from two weeks to between seven and ten days.
Represented by the Minister of State for Transportation, Ms. Gbemisola Saraki, the Minister noted that 75percent of shippers in the country were from eastern parts of the country.
He added that the workshop was organised to provide the solutions to the revival and patronage of the eastern ports by international and local shipping communities.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is imperative that Nigeria continues to remove the difficulties hindering businesses in the country to make our economy more investment friendly.
“This is why this workshop is organised to listen to complaints and to gather information on the challenges of shippers to enable government take necessary steps in resolving and encouraging activities at the Eastern Ports.
“The recent launch of the Deep Blue Sea project by the President are efforts by the Federal government to deal with issues of insecurity, including sea piracy, robbery and kidnappings on the waterways.
“The government has entered agreement with international organisations to provide protections and deal with issues of insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea and at the eastern ports.”
Also speaking, the Managing Director of NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, expressed the determination of the Authority to implement resolutions of the workshop adding that revival of the eastern ports will boost the nation’s economy.
Earlier, stakeholders in the maritime sector had identified insecurity and infrastructural deficit as major challenges confronting the patronage of eastern ports in the country.
Follow us on twitter
