Between the day before yesterday to today, I was reading some argument with between seunmsg and PresidObi about southern and Western ports in Nigeria..

The argument went from whether the southern ports are functional to why they are not being used by it's people..

PresidObi asked seunmsg :"I will want to know why my boys in Aba are importing from Lagos, and not from PH which is 15 to 20 minutes away. Maybe they enjoy the traffic gridlock and spending too much money for freight. Maybe they even enjoy making a loss."

Seunmsg couldn't give a straight answer but rather was telling the fella that he should go and ask them!

I can say that was very lame!

If you are saying something, you should stand by your word and try every means to prove yourself right unless you are not honest about it.

I couldn't read further because he was not being straight forward, I have to skip the thread and find some other things to do.

Today, I meet the thread again but I didn't take much time on it. I stumbled on another post of his(seunmsg) about the ports in the south, he was stating why the ports in the west are being used most or functional than the southern ports.. He said "it is because of economic reasons" and "west is where the market is"

I was marveled because, he was acting formerly like he does not know why, but why didn't he say it then?

I guess because the answer is not a HONEST ONE.

Which led me to find out why! (Reason in the next post).

A simple google search landed me on a by nairametrics.

Nairametrics stated that the reason is because of INSECURITIES IN THE SOUTH PORTS.

Details :
[quote]The Federal Government has identified insecurity as the major reason why importers and exporters mostly use Lagos ports and are reluctant to use the Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar Seaports.
This is as President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the construction of 3 deep seaports namely, Lekki deep seaport to be ready next year, Bonny deep seaport with construction to commence at the same time with the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line and the Warri deep seaport

This disclosure was made by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, while appearing as a guest at a Channels Television programme on Wednesday, February 17, 2021.

What the Minister of Transportation is saying
Amaechi during the interview said, ‘’The Ministry of Transport or the NPA does not have the responsibility of determining where an importer or exporter will transact his business. So if the importer or exporter decides to transact his business through Lagos, then there will be that congestion, it does not necessarily mean it is because the port is not efficient.

The problem we have with congestion is that there is insecurity at the sea which we are addressing and we are having a battle with private interests that have captured security contracts from several government agencies or private investors or private companies that deal with maritime. Now that we want part of the water because we have put a security infrastructure that will protect the water from beginning to the end of our international waterways, they are fighting back, they are doing all sorts of things, petitioning everybody, petitioning me, go to National Assembly, go to EFCC, go to NFIU, everywhere and I am just watching.

‘’So the first thing to do is to address the insecurity, the moment we address the insecurity, it will encourage importers from Onitsha, Aba and others to use the Port Harcourt seaport or Warri seaport or Calabar seaport. So it’s not about the seaport or river ports are not available. Again the Calabar port cedes just like the Warri port. They cede so easily, so its difficult to continue to recede them regularly, so what is the solution to that.

’The President has approved the construction of three new seaports in Nigeria. He has approved the construction of Lekki Deep seaport. Lekki Deep seaport should be ready next year, 2022, I insisted on that because I want this current government to commission the project. He has also approved the construction of the Bonny Deep seaport; we are currently trying to acquire land so that the construction can commence. It commences almost at the same time with Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line either by end of February or first week in March.’’ he said.[/qoute]


https://nairametrics.com/2021/02/17/fg-states-why-importers-mostly-use-lagos-ports-to-construct-3-new-deep-seaports/

What can be deduced above is that FG has failed to curb the security rather they went to creating more port in the western..
And I can say that is too Dubious.. Why not fight the insecurity?

This has already counter seunmsg hogwash assertion that is because of economic reasons and where the market is.

Lagos is not the only place the market is.

we have Onitsha, which is the biggest in west Africa. What about Nnewi, Oill mill PH, Aba, Kano, Benue etc ?

Nobody knows what was agreed between those who won the war in 1970.

It will take eternity for Nigeria to develop so long as we refuse to tell ourselves the truth and be objective in matters if national interest.

The problem with the ports is simply political! The govt deliberately keep them low to ensure the ones in Lagos booms. Take the cement monopoly Dangote enjoyed over such a period of time before others manage to get government to allow them entry.

Our government is a problem to the nation.

Anyone who has ever imported any goods knows it's cheaper to import and transport to East from Lagos than to import through onne

No one can claim the cost of shipping and clearing is the same in onne and tincan I dare anyone to say they are the same

PresidObi:
Brb

Done

mrvitalis:
Anyone who has ever imported any goods knows it's cheaper to import and transport to East from Lagos than to import through onne

No one can claim the cost of shipping and clearing is the same in onne and tincan I dare anyone to say they are the same

Eastern ports are the seaports located in Calabar, Port Harcourt, Onne, Warri, Sapele, Koko, and Burutu. All these ports played significant roles in the colonial era and before the Nigerian civil war. Today, put together, these ports handle less than 30 per cent of imports into the country, while the two Lagos ports of Apapa and Tin Can handle almost 70 per cent.

This situation, which has been allowed to prevail for a long time, has been taking avoidable tolls on the Lagos ports and the economy of the country. More depressing is the sporadic congestions on the Lagos ports access roads. The road congestion has become a permanent feature of the access roads to the ports. The incessant gridlock caused by bad state of the roads and the recalcitrant truck drivers combine to cause unprecedented delays at the ports, making it difficult for importers to take delivery of their consignments at the right time. Operators also suffer huge financial loss as a result of this.

Many importers outside Lagos have to pay heavily to take delivery of their imports. They pay double the cost to move their cargoes from Lagos to their warehouses located in the South East, South-South and Northern parts of the country. The extra cost is, of course, transferred to the final consumers. This they have to do because the Eastern ports do not present a viable alternative to them.

Several factors have been identified as the cause of the extremely low businesses at the Eastern ports. These barriers include shallow draughts of the access channels, insecurity of the waters and the lack of political will to open up these ports.

As a result of the gross insecurity of the waters around the eastern ports, importers in these areas prefer to use the Lagos ports even at huge cost. For instance, shipping companies charge as much as N800,000 as container deposit for a container going outside Lagos as against N150,000 charged for a container with Lagos as its destination. While stakeholders have identified insecurity and infrastructure deficits as the major problems militating against the patronage of Eastern ports, it is necessary to point out that political factor and government regulations are also known to have played a greater role in keeping these ports idle.

Without government coming all out to cancel old prejudices, and demonstrating the political will to make the Eastern ports in a viable and competitive manner, the situation will not change. The call for reduction of charges and levies by government agencies and the overall cost of clearing goods at the ports will not do much in attracting businesses to the ports. It is a known fact that the importation of some products, such as pharmaceutical products, is restricted to Lagos ports of Apapa and Tin Can Island. The huge pharmaceutical markets in the east and south-south regions are, therefore, forced through government policy and directive, to import their goods through the Lagos ports. In addition, Lagos ports are also the only legitimate ports for the export of non-oil products. All these leave the other ports idle and unviable.

For a turn-around in the patronage of the Eastern ports, there is need to review some import and export guidelines hampering the viability of the ports. The channels into these ports need to be dredged, their facilities need to be upgraded and incentives provided to enable them take up more of the nation’s maritime business.

The dredging of Calabar Port access channel should be dealt with decisively. All the people who have turned the dredging of the channel to a goldmine should be made to account for their actions. The prevailing insecurity posed by pirates and sea-robbers to vessels going to Onne and Port Harcourt ports should be seriously tackled. While the shallow draught of Calabar Port channel impedes safe navigation, the Port Harcourt Port suffers under constant pirate attacks, making the port unattractive to foreign shipping lines. Because of these security challenges, no fewer than 754 vessels are said to have deserted the eastern ports between 2013 and 2016. According to records, the number of vessels that berthed at the ports reduced from 2,268 vessels in 2013 to 1,514 in 2016.

While we commend all the efforts of NPA to make the Eastern ports more attractive for business, we call on the federal government to exercise the political will to remove all hindrances to full utilization of the ports. The optimum operation of all the ports in the country should be part of the government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP). It should also form part of the terms of reference of the special committee recently set up to review government policies, projects, and strategies in preparation for President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term.

We align with the submission of the General Manager, Security of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogu, that “maximizing the economies of the eastern ports requires more than a port plan. It needs a port master plan.” Resuscitation of the Eastern ports truly requires a holistic, integrated approach to the issues of insecurity and poor port infrastructure.

Credits: shipsandports.com.ng

4teenblaq:
A simple google search landed me on a by nairametrics.

Nairametrics stated that the reason is because of INSECURITIES IN THE SOUTH PORTS.

Details :

It’s good that you’re now doing research. At least, we can now agree that we have fully functional ports in South south and Yorubas are not responsible for the low patronage the ports are recording.

Whether security or economic issues, importers are in a better position to tell you why they prefer to import through Lagos. That’s not really my business. It’s now left for the leaders of your region to look inwards and stop the insecurity in the region. Or you want Yorubas to come and fix the insecurity in the region for you?

seunmsg:


It’s good that you’re now doing research. At least, we can now agree that we have fully functional ports in South south and Yorubas are not responsible for the low patronage the ports are recording.

Whether security or economic issues, importers are in a better position to tell you why they prefer to import through Lagos. That’s not really my business. It’s now left for the leaders of your region to look inwards and stop the insecurity in the region. Or you want Yorubas to come and fix the insecurity in the region for you?

See how you claimed that it is the responsibility of our regional leaders! Wow!!

Who controls these ports?

If you had researched enough, you would've know the minds of importers and exporters why they prefer Lagos ports.. Before making assertions full of lies.

4teenblaq:

Eastern ports are the seaports located in Calabar, Port Harcourt, Onne, Warri, Sapele, Koko, and Burutu. All these ports played significant roles in the colonial era and before the Nigerian civil war. Today, put together, these ports handle less than 30 per cent of imports into the country, while the two Lagos ports of Apapa and Tin Can handle almost 70 per cent.

This situation, which has been allowed to prevail for a long time, has been taking avoidable tolls on the Lagos ports and the economy of the country. More depressing is the sporadic congestions on the Lagos ports access roads. The road congestion has become a permanent feature of the access roads to the ports. The incessant gridlock caused by bad state of the roads and the recalcitrant truck drivers combine to cause unprecedented delays at the ports, making it difficult for importers to take delivery of their consignments at the right time. Operators also suffer huge financial loss as a result of this.

Many importers outside Lagos have to pay heavily to take delivery of their imports. They pay double the cost to move their cargoes from Lagos to their warehouses located in the South East, South-South and Northern parts of the country. The extra cost is, of course, transferred to the final consumers. This they have to do because the Eastern ports do not present a viable alternative to them.

Several factors have been identified as the cause of the extremely low businesses at the Eastern ports. These barriers include shallow draughts of the access channels, insecurity of the waters and the lack of political will to open up these ports.

As a result of the gross insecurity of the waters around the eastern ports, importers in these areas prefer to use the Lagos ports even at huge cost. For instance, shipping companies charge as much as N800,000 as container deposit for a container going outside Lagos as against N150,000 charged for a container with Lagos as its destination. While stakeholders have identified insecurity and infrastructure deficits as the major problems militating against the patronage of Eastern ports, it is necessary to point out that political factor and government regulations are also known to have played a greater role in keeping these ports idle.

Without government coming all out to cancel old prejudices, and demonstrating the political will to make the Eastern ports in a viable and competitive manner, the situation will not change. The call for reduction of charges and levies by government agencies and the overall cost of clearing goods at the ports will not do much in attracting businesses to the ports. It is a known fact that the importation of some products, such as pharmaceutical products, is restricted to Lagos ports of Apapa and Tin Can Island. The huge pharmaceutical markets in the east and south-south regions are, therefore, forced through government policy and directive, to import their goods through the Lagos ports. In addition, Lagos ports are also the only legitimate ports for the export of non-oil products. All these leave the other ports idle and unviable.

For a turn-around in the patronage of the Eastern ports, there is need to review some import and export guidelines hampering the viability of the ports. The channels into these ports need to be dredged, their facilities need to be upgraded and incentives provided to enable them take up more of the nation’s maritime business.

The dredging of Calabar Port access channel should be dealt with decisively. All the people who have turned the dredging of the channel to a goldmine should be made to account for their actions. The prevailing insecurity posed by pirates and sea-robbers to vessels going to Onne and Port Harcourt ports should be seriously tackled. While the shallow draught of Calabar Port channel impedes safe navigation, the Port Harcourt Port suffers under constant pirate attacks, making the port unattractive to foreign shipping lines. Because of these security challenges, no fewer than 754 vessels are said to have deserted the eastern ports between 2013 and 2016. According to records, the number of vessels that berthed at the ports reduced from 2,268 vessels in 2013 to 1,514 in 2016.

While we commend all the efforts of NPA to make the Eastern ports more attractive for business, we call on the federal government to exercise the political will to remove all hindrances to full utilization of the ports. The optimum operation of all the ports in the country should be part of the government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP). It should also form part of the terms of reference of the special committee recently set up to review government policies, projects, and strategies in preparation for President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term.

We align with the submission of the General Manager, Security of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogu, that “maximizing the economies of the eastern ports requires more than a port plan. It needs a port master plan.” Resuscitation of the Eastern ports truly requires a holistic, integrated approach to the issues of insecurity and poor port infrastructure.

Credits: shipsandports.com.ng

Blah blah blah ...eastern ports needs that to function need this to function but they receive petroleum products , they export crude oil ...but miraculously are not good for container vessels

mrvitalis:

Blah blah blah ...eastern ports needs that to function need this to function but they receive petroleum products , they export crude oil ...but miraculously are not good for container vessels

I guess you didn't read that well, or you are just being sissy!

4teenblaq:


I guess you didn't read that well, or you are just being sissy!

I read what you copied and pasted I have read it months back their is no excuse why the eastern ports should not be functioning

The federal government since OBJ had intentionally made it so

4teenblaq:
A simple google search landed me on a by nairametrics.

Nairametrics stated that the reason is because of INSECURITIES IN THE SOUTH PORTS.

Details :

Why do we have insecurity in the other sea ports?

seunmsg:


It’s good that you’re now doing research. At least, we can now agree that we have fully functional ports in South south and Yorubas are not responsible for the low patronage the ports are recording.

Whether security or economic issues, importers are in a better position to tell you why they prefer to import through Lagos. That’s not really my business. It’s now left for the leaders of your region to look inwards and stop the insecurity in the region. Or you want Yorubas to come and fix the insecurity in the region for you?

It is the responsibility of the federal government to tackle such insecurity not regional!

drlateef:




Why do we have insecurity in the other sea ports?

Because FG failed to secure the place.

mrvitalis:

I read what you copied and pasted I have read it months back their is no excuse why the eastern ports should not be functioning

The federal government since OBJ had intentionally made it so

But Federal government gave us the reason why it is not functioning..

Are you saying the FG have failed? Lol

4teenblaq:


Done

Thanks for these documents, it was a good read and exposes all the lies of those saying that we move our goods from Lagos because just love coming to Lagos, or because Lagos is more developed.

4teenblaq:


Because FG failed to secure the place.

Are they securing Lagos seaport? Where are the Eastern Naval Command ?

4teenblaq:


It is the responsibility of the federal government to tackle such insecurity not regional!

Okay now. Keep waiting for Federal government. While at it, please tell Peter Obi and others like you that Yorubas have nothing against your ports. Yorubas are not responsible for the unviability of ports in South south. Keep the south west out of this please. Thanks.

seunmsg:


It’s good that you’re now doing research. At least, we can now agree that we have fully functional ports in South south and Yorubas are not responsible for the low patronage the ports are recording.

Whether security or economic issues, importers are in a better position to tell you why they prefer to import through Lagos. That’s not really my business. It’s now left for the leaders of your region to look inwards and stop the insecurity in the region. Or you want Yorubas to come and fix the insecurity in the region for you?

When did people in their regions start controlling their security? Did you see a single person from the SS or SE in the security council of Nigeria?

PresidObi:


When did people in their regions start controlling their security? Did you see a single person from the SS or SE in the security council of Nigeria?

You mean the chief of defense staff is not a member of the national security council?

seunmsg:


Okay now. Keep waiting for Federal government. While at it, please tell Peter Obi and others like you that Yorubas have nothing against your ports. Yorubas are not responsible for the unviability of ports in South south. Keep the south west out of this please. Thanks.

Wasn't it you own brother Powell Legbe that said you shouldn't vote for Peter Obi so he will not make SS and SE ports functional? Is that not where we're coming from? You supported the comment by saying that eastern ports are functional while I was asking for proof.

Now you have seen proof from the government themselves and you're still twisting things instead of apologising for your wrong stand?

seunmsg:


You mean the chief of defense staff is not a member of the national security council?

Irabor just got there last year, who's the chief of naval staff, NPA?

PresidObi:


Irabor just got there last year, who's the chief of naval staff, NPA?

Is he a member of the national security council or not?

Before him, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas was the chief of naval staff. He was there for 6 years. So, what’s your point again?

PresidObi:


Wasn't it you own brother Powell Legbe that said you shouldn't vote for Peter Obi so he will not make SS and SE ports functional? Is that not where we're coming from? You supported the comment by saying that eastern ports are functional while I was asking for proof.

Now you have seen proof from the government themselves and you're still twisting things instead of apologising for your wrong stand?

Powell Glad Legbe is an ipob member from Imo state. Stop lying like your candidate. We found him out since yesterday.

seunmsg:


Powell Glad Legbe is an ipob member from Imo state. Stop lying like your candidate. We found him out since yesterday.

Just because you are talking about ports in Rivers state now, I put it to you that you're from Rivers state.

seunmsg:


Okay now. Keep waiting for Federal government. While at it, please tell Peter Obi and others like you that Yorubas have nothing against your ports. Yorubas are not responsible for the unviability of ports in South south. Keep the south west out of this please. Thanks.

Nobody is blaming the south west.. What we are saying is the government have failed to make these ports as functional as the Lagos ports.. Just like the refineries we have..

You should not exclude it from the of federal government.... Who made the ports in Lagos state viable? Is it the state government? Ports in Lagos state, it is the federal government that is making it functional and ensuring the ports are working.

So why do you want other ports in southern regions be the duty of the State's government when the other ones in Lagos state are duties of the federal government?

You should be honest with yourself for once.. These ports are all the federal government responsibility.. It is paramount they make sure they are functional.

drlateef:




Are they securing Lagos seaport? Where are the Eastern Naval Command ?

Look at the stupid question, you are asking. Smh.

Obviously, you are stack ignorant.

PresidObi:


Thanks for these documents, it was a good read and exposes all the lies of those saying that we move our goods from Lagos because just love coming to Lagos, or because Lagos is more developed.

Don't mind the fool, he is now running around in circle... Telling us that the state government in our region should take charge of the ports and make it functional whereas the Lagos ports are being control and managed by the federal government.

Smh.

Government is deliberately frustrating seaports activities in the eastern seaports. Because you can't tell me that the same seaports used by FG and NNPC to export crude oil from SS and SE are no longer good for importing commodities. Them never tell us wetin them agree after the civil war. And someone will tell me to believe in one Nigeria. Nigeria is never and will be one. It's just a matter of time. Nothing last forever!!!

We have to vote for a president who will holistically develop every part of Nigeria.