Mkpoikana Udoma
12 August 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has charged the Federal Government to expedite action to revamp the Ports in the South-South region in order to decongest Tincan and Apapa seaports in Lagos.
Governor Wike stated this during a courtesy visit by the National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Wike, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, said on assumption of office in 2015, his administration quickly rehabilitated the road leading to the Port Harcourt seaport in a bid to stimulate activities at the port, regretting that the effort has not yielded the desired result.
He also urged the Federal Government to hasten the completion of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt International Airport, which according to him has been going on longer than necessary.
According to him, “After we had done the Industry Road we thought that the Port Harcourt seaport would be functioning optimally but we have not seen that yet.
“Not only Port Harcourt seaport but all the seaports in the South-South Zone need to be revamped which obviously would improve on the ease of doing business in the zone and also decongest the Lagos ports.”
The governor further said the promises he made to the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce in 2015 have been fulfilled. He said he promised harmonization of taxes to end double taxation, issuance of Certificate of Occupancy, provision of massive infrastructure all aimed at making Rivers State an investors’ haven.
For her part, the National President of theNACCIMA, Ms. Iyalode Alaba Lawson, who described the association as the voice of the Organized Private Sector in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Public-Private Partnership was working in Rivers State because of the political will and commitment of the governor.
Lawson who is the 19th President of NACCIMA and the first female National President of the association also commended the Rivers State Government for allocating a plot of land for the siting of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce.