Shippers urge President-elect to transform Onitsha Port

Anambra State Shippers Association on Tuesday appealed to the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to re-invigorate economic activities at the Onitsha River Port.

They said that their appeal became imperative because the port had been under lock for about three years.

The association’s President, Mr Emma Akpaka, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Onitsha that the port had not achieved the desired impact since its second inauguration in 2012.

“The best politics now is to make this port a bonded wharf that will create jobs, generate revenue and develop inland waterways of host communities,’’ Akpaka said.

He said that shippers in Anambra and South-East were not happy that the port commissioned in 1983 and recently 2012 has yet to contribute to the economy of the area.

“Three years later (from 2012); we see the same President leaving office without a single cargo lifted.

“To commission a project twice by two democratically elected presidents is not only a clear case of policy somersault but absolute case of organised sabotage.

“Ndigbo are angry that Onitsha River Port is under lock. Let there be equity and fair play across board instead of using different strokes for different folks.

“It will be provocative for another president to commission this port again,’’ he said.

The shippers’ boss called on the Nigerian Shippers Council to look into the case of Onitsha Port by dispatching a team to assess and appropriate operational recommendations to the Federal Government.

“Now that Nigerian Shippers Council is appointed the economic regulator for ports, let a team from that parastatal be dispatched to the port immediately.

“While the Federal Ministry of Finance completes other assignments on the operational take off of the port,’’ he added.