The Federal Government has said plans are underway to reposition the Onne Port to maximize its huge potential in export and import trades.
The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo disclosed this in Onne, Rivers State, during a 3-day tour to verify why the port is not performing at maximum capacity.
In a statement by the Director of Press of the ministry, Eric Ojiekwe, Sambo said: “Part of the reason why I’m here is to look into why the Rivers Ports are not working. Whatever the challenges are, we will address them.
“I will discuss with stakeholders and we will come up with short-term, medium-term and long-term plans on how to overcome those challenges and make the ports productive.” On the issue of the dilapidated access road to the Onne Port, the minister assured that the poor state of the road to the port would be fixed by Sukuk IV.
He also said he would liaise with the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola on how the process can be fast-tracked.
The Minister, however, noted that the usual practice by some terminal operators to defraud the federal government by not complying with payment of the practitioners operating fees will no longer be tolerated.
The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello- Koko said the government was serious about the need to increase traffic at the eastern Ports, to decongest the Lagos ports.
He also said the authority was working with the Nigerian Navy to secure the waterways.
He said: “We are working with the Nigerian Navy to improve security on our Waterways and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has deployed assets under the Deep Deep Blue Project that would be working with the Nigerian Navy to improve security for Offshore patrols.”