Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Minister of Transportation; Muazu Sambo has lamented the alarming rate of overtime cargoes at the nation’s seaports.
Addressing stakeholders at Onne and Port Harcourt ports over the weekend, he said the ministry is concerned about the issue of overtime cargoes, even as he urged the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to do something regarding those cargoes at the port.
He also called for a port community system that will help facilitate trade at the eastern zone. He said, “the issue of port community system is ‘doable’, we can do it in six months, if we have a port community system it will save time and help bring about more revenue”.
He added that the Ministry is keen on working with the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to grow the fortunes of Eastern Ports, stating that the ports, given their boundless potentials are strategic national assets that this administration is poised to develop to their full potential.
He commended the stakeholders for the partnership given to NPA management and other agencies in the state.
Muazu further said his tour of the two port complexes has thoroughly furnished him with a deeper grasp of the contemporary issues, while assuring that the stakeholders shall soon heave a sigh of relief as the ministry ramp up work to grant approval to the several initiatives for port efficiency as put forward by the NPA.
Speaking further, he said the ministry will tackle the challenge of channel insecurity which has slowed the growth momentum of the Eastern Ports by deploying assets of the Deep Blue project and the renewed synergy between the NPA and the Nigerian Navy.
He explained that the recent growth in vessel traffic in Onne Port especially for exports is a testament to the strategic importance of the Eastern Ports in supporting the renewed export orientation of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
He said “The Ministry is keen on working with the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to grow the fortunes of the Eastern Ports and I will like to state for the records that the Eastern Ports given their boundless potentials are strategic national assets that this administration is poised to develop to their full potential.
“I will like to seize this moment to appreciate the partnership the NPA management tells me it has enjoyed from you; our esteemed stakeholders and to call for renewed synergy which is a critical success factor for the optimization of this ports.
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“As some of you are aware, my antecedents in this sector has equipped me with knowledge of some of the issues. My tour of the two port complexes has thoroughly furnished me with a deeper grasp of the contemporary issues, and I want to assure you that we shall soon heave a sigh of relief as we ramp -up work to grant approval to the several initiatives for port efficiency put forward by the NPA.
“We are set to frontally tackle the challenge of channel insecurity which has slowed the growth momentum of the Eastern Ports by deploying assets of the Deep Blue project and the renewed synergy between the NPA and the Nigerian Navy.
“The recent growth in vessel traffic in Onne Port especially for exports is a testament to the strategic importance of the Eastern Ports in supporting the renewed export orientation of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The recent establishment of an Export Processing Terminal at Onne Port by Messrs WACT is highly commendable. I will like to also appreciate Brawal for the timely support provided the NPA at crucial times.
“I want to also appreciate the expansion works being undertaken by ICTSI, WACT, INTELS and PTOL. The palliative works on the port access roads by Messrs Vital is also highly appreciated.
“Most of the challenges of ageing infrastructure and allied matters which you have raised in your previous stakeholder engagements with the NPA management have been brought to my attention, and I want to assure you that we are working assiduously to provide measurable solutions as quickly as possible”.
“Let me assure you that the Federal Ministry of Transportation under my watch will provide every support necessary to ensure that these critical national assets are fully maximized”, he said.
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