Debunks alleged FG’s deliberate neglect of other seaports

Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said that three years into full operations, Nigerians have yet to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

Speaking yesterday during a tour of the facility, which was organised by the Embassy of China in Nigeria, the Port Manager, Anda Emmanuel, who described the Port as the best thing that had happened to Nigeria in recent times, lamented that despite the available facilities, the level of patronage has not met the desired expectations.

Anda, therefore, called on Nigerians and other potential investors to patronise and experience the quality services and seamless Port processes made available in the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

Noting that access to the port was a major constraint, he said that such had been addressed as the Federal Government and the state governments were very determined to construct road networks.

Anda also debunked the allegation of the government’s deliberate neglect of other seaports in the country, particularly those in the South-South, stressing that importers of goods, rather than the government, determine where their goods are shipped.

According to him, the choice for Lagos State as the major destination for imported goods is the availability of the market.

“The big players are here. If you go to Agbara or Shagama, you see huge companies. These are companies that import huge volumes of goods and all the big supermarkets you have are concentrated on this side. So, of course, the market is here.

“Nobody discriminates against anybody when it comes to trade because the decision about where the goods go lies with the importer. Nobody can influence that”, Anda said.

He commended the government for partnering with the Chinese, saying that they possessed the required expertise and had impacted the country positively in terms of trade.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Lekki Port, Mr Wang Qiang, was elated that the opportunity created by the port had accelerated exportation in the country.

He said that though the 45-year project was expected to inject about $360 billion into Nigeria’s economy, it had yet to start making a profit from the $1 billion investment. He was, however, impressed that more investors were beginning to indicate interest in the Port.

“In terms of profit, we are still within three years of operation. So, it is still a baby. We put in over $1 billion for the construction of the Port. It needs more time to yield. It is running well, but we invested a lot and it will take time to make profits.” Qiang also said the government had a further role to play in making exports easy for potential investors by way of policies.