Stakeholders in the private sector want the immediate implementation of plan to oncession Onitsha River port, a facility that was renovated six years ago and ready for use.
The Nigeria’s organized private sector doing business in Eastern Nigeria explained that the appeal was an “SOS’’ on the port on iconic River Niger Bridge.
The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan was at the verge of concluding the concession before he was ousted in 2015.
The process to concession the port had been put on hold while traders and manufacturers in South East continue to suffer the pains of using Lagos ports for import and export business.
The leadership of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OCCIMA) had persistently reminded Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the need to concession the port.
Action needs to be taken before the multibillion naira facility dilapidates.
The very last refurbishment of the port was done at the cost of over N5bn by Jonathan administration, but minor logistics marred the concessioning by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
Already, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has advised the Federal Government to extend the port reform plans of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council to eastern ports and work towards the completion of Onitsha port activation.
The chamber during the unveiling of a report titled ‘Maritime Ports Reform in Nigeria: Feedback from the Organised Private Sector’in Lagos, specifically urged the government to
finalise the concession of Onitsha seaport.
finalise the concession of Onitsha seaport.
According to the LCCI President, Mr Babatunde Ruwase, the members the Organised Private Sector in South East have been suffering untold hardship in either importing wares or exporting their products due to the dormant state of the national asset.
Additionally, Ruwase advised the government to improve the security situation along and within the Warri Port in order to ward off militants and touts.
He noted that stakeholders’ have requested that the government should approve and publicise a bouquet of incentives to importers and exporters that patronise ports outside
Lagos, adding that the measures would make ports outside Lagos attractive to importers and exporters and reduce the current pressure on the Lagos port and roads.
Lagos, adding that the measures would make ports outside Lagos attractive to importers and exporters and reduce the current pressure on the Lagos port and roads.
