The Warri Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (WACCIMA), on Wednesday commended the Federal Government for approving the dredging of the Warri/Escravos seaport.
The WACCIMA President, Mr Simon Asite made the commendation in an interview in Warri.
The N13 billion project was approved recently by the Federal Executive Council.
He described the government’s approval of the project as the greatest thing that had happened to Warri in recent years.
The WACCIMA president said the dredging of the Warri/Escravos River would revive economic activities in the moribund Delta ports, and by implication create jobs for the teeming unemployed in the area.
“We in the maritime sector of WACCIMA have been advocating for the dredging of the Warri/Escravos channel, which is the gateway to cargoes coming into Delta port.
“Dredging the Warri/Escravos River will help to create employment for the youth, turn around the inflow of revenue in the area, and also increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for both the state and the federal governments.
“Heavier vessels and ocean-going liners carrying containers can now sail into Delta port thus boosting commerce.
“Hospitality industry will be busy, transporters, market women, in fact, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will rise astronomically to the benefit of the governments, people, and the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs),” he said.
Asite specifically commended the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadizat Usman, for her effort toward ensuring that the contract was approved.
He appealed to the NPA boss not to rest on her oars until the contract was successfully implemented.
Asite advised the government to disregard the rumours that Warri was not safe for business activities.
“Federal Government should ignore those peddling negative rumours that Warri has security challenges and kindly kick-start the implementation of the contract.
“It has enormous economic benefits to the state and the central governments, as well as the private sector,” he noted.
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