Emmanuel Iheanacho, Chairman, Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, and former Minister of Interior has called on the Federal Government to expand the nation’s ports infrastructure, access roads leading to ports and to ensure the effective connection of the seaports to the hinterlands.
Iheanacho, who expressed concern over the state of the nation’s transport infrastructure amid the increasing trade volumes in the ports, stated that the nation had to improve its transport infrastructure to meet the 4 per cent annual increase in world trade volume, which has also affected Nigeria.
Speaking at the day-two of the just concluded National Transportation Summit organised by the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIoTA) Nigeria in Abuja last week, he said that the shipping industry has played a significant role in taking millions of people out of poverty.
Therefore, he urged, the Nigerian government to invest more in infrastructure in order to create wealth and allow Nigerians to feel the impact of the enormous opportunities in shipping.
Noting that Nigeria’s revenue base has grown as a result of crude oil sale over the years, he warned that it would be wrong to continue to spend such revenue on imported goods, rather than improving the size of ports available in the country.
He listed places such as Ikot Abasi and Ibaka both in Akwa Ibom as well as Badagry, Lagos as natural sites for the harbour.
“We have to maximise these ports for our need as well as to serve landlocked countries like Chad. Nigeria should look at the trade needs and develop ports to serve those needs. The demand factor we should focus on is the underlying trade,” he said.
Read Also: WMD: Sanwo-Olu calls for more environmental friendly shipping using water transportation
According to him, “How do we compare the volume of trade in 1959, 1969 and consistently over the years? If the trade has doubled over the years, then there is need to have ports infrastructure improved proportionally.”
“What improvement has been made on the Lagos port access roads over the years? On Creek Road in Apapa, there are numerous obsolete buildings that the government could buy, demolish and convert those places into marshalling areas for cargoes. What we advocate is dynamism. We have to consider these options,” he suggested.
Iheanacho, however, called on CIoTA to see the annual 4 per cent growth in world trade as an avenue to position the nation’s transport sector to benefit from the opportunities trade provides.
Meanwhile, Bashir Jamoh, president of CIoTA, said that as support for the government, the institute would take up the responsibility of advocacy to address the numerous challenges in the transport sector.
