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Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable - Politics (2) - Nairaland

Nairaland ForumNairaland GeneralPoliticsRobbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable (12397 Views)

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Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by YorubaAssasin: 7:32pm On Aug 15, 2018
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Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Nobody: 7:33pm On Aug 15, 2018
Corrinthians:
The surest and shortest way to address the Security challenge is for the traditional rulers and governors in the affected domains to call their subjects to order. We can't continue to blame the FG for just about everything.

It is just like saying because there's a local vigilante in your area, you can't hold your child to account for stealing but rather blame the vigilante for not preventing him from stealing. It makes no sense.

The security situation were talking about here can't be said to be such that it can't be handled by the local authorities if they put their minds to it. The FG has done it's bit by building the ports, let the local play a little role by ensuring cargos berth safely. It isn't too much a "favour" to ask is it?
And 2 million barrels if crude oil leaves the Niger delta through those thieves every single day.
Will u be ashamed if u use ur headhuh

grin
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Nobody: 7:33pm On Aug 15, 2018
Corrinthians:
K.
ur humbled.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Nobody: 7:34pm On Aug 15, 2018
HAHAHAH ONE NIGERIA MY FOOT grin grin


I pity those defending their slave name NIGERIA
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Nobody: 7:35pm On Aug 15, 2018
weyreypey:
Direct your anger to amaechi rotimi
I only replied to ur foolish post.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Vondoola: 7:35pm On Aug 15, 2018
Bear in mind that those ports were operational in the days of yore. Neglecting them was a scheme that is now having a negative adverse effect in our economy. If there is absolute devolution of powers and true Federalism is practiced, there is no way those ports will not serve their purpose. So the issue of the ''federal govt has built'' is uncalled for because the motive behind the negligence is now backfiring.
Corrinthians:
The surest and shortest way to address the Security challenge is for the traditional rulers and governors in the affected domains to call their subjects to order. We can't continue to blame the FG for just about everything.

It is just like saying because there's a local vigilante in your area, you can't hold your child to account for stealing but rather blame the vigilante for not preventing him from stealing. It makes no sense.

The security situation were talking about here can't be said to be such that it can't be handled by the local authorities if they put their minds to it. The FG has done it's bit by building the ports, let the local play a little role by ensuring cargos berth safely. It isn't too much a "favour" to ask is it?
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by weyreypey: 7:36pm On Aug 15, 2018
PrecisionFx:
I only replied to ur foolish post.
Find amaechi rotimi on twitter
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by YorubaAssasin: 7:37pm On Aug 15, 2018
velocity25:
South-easterners I. e (se/ss)must wake up not using eastern ports is deliberate by enemies of our region!
Blaming others for your own demise has become a trade-mark on which you pple thrive suffer.. Keep it up! undecided
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Odingo1: 7:37pm On Aug 15, 2018
Security challenges, yet oil and gas is been shipped out of that region without security challenges on daily basis, they should keep deceiving their-selves, let Nigeria continue to depend on one port, yeye country.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by tiredoflife(m): 7:39pm On Aug 15, 2018
weyreypey:
Direct your anger to amaechi rotimi
Yoruba Muslims
Its not hard to show how hate is resident in ur soul grin grin
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Wiseandtrue(f): 7:43pm On Aug 15, 2018
weyreypey:
Ask amaechi rotimi why he betrayed your kinsman GEJ and supported the Fulani for mere ministerial position
I am sure he can read and see you people's opinion of him!

The post did not even suit him it reduced his potentials
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Nobody: 7:44pm On Aug 15, 2018
weyreypey:
Find amaechi rotimi on twitter
are u no longer a Nigerian? No be one Nigeria again? Find him on Twitter!
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by gamaliel9: 7:44pm On Aug 15, 2018
They took 1billion dollars to fight insecurity...let them do same to rebuild the ports
They laid pipelines from Warri to Kaduna...look at the distance...
They export oil from the same ports oooo
They are building refinery in Kastina oooolaying a pipeline to Niger oooo


Anybody opposing development of these ports is anti-Nigeria and racist
There are pirates patrolling the Bight of Biafra[bight of guinee] yet hundreds of ships pass there everyday

We must go...
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by weyreypey: 7:50pm On Aug 15, 2018
tiredoflife:
Yoruba Muslims
Its not hard to show how hate is resident in ur soul grin grin
Stereotypical as usual
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by simonsayz: 7:50pm On Aug 15, 2018
yns4real:
By Godfrey Bivbere

The plight of ports at the Nigeria’s eastern and delta coastlines may have been compounded by sea robbery and militancy even as some technical challenges linger.

Vanguard Maritime Report investigations reveal that the spate of attacks has not been contained even after seize fire with militants about three years ago. [/b]

[b]Consequently, international shipping firms have placed high-risk rating in the freight charges, a situation which has made cost of shipments to the ports uncompetitive. For example while it costs shipment from China to Lagos would cost about $1,500 same consignments going to Calabar costs between $4,000 to $4,500.

In addition to the cost challenges, investigations by Vanguard Maritime Report also indicated some technical short-comings in the ports such as shallow berths and draft deficiency of the channels. The ports currently have berth depth of between 6 – 11 meters compared to the Lagos port with berth depth ranging from 9 – 13.5 meters.

Standard port berths in other West African countries like Accra, Ghana is 19 metres, Lome, Togo is 16 metres, Cameroon at 16 metres and Cotonou, Benin Republic at 15 metres. With this technical deficiency the ports at the eastern and delta coastlines would not be able to take size of container-bearing vessels that normally call at standard ports, except for specialised vessels constructed as flat bottom which many international shipping firms have not been willing to use.

The other technical deficiency with the ports, Vanguard Maritime Report investigations show, is that the draught of the channels are below standard. For the channel leading to the ports, Lagos port has a draught of 13.5 meters, that of Port Harcourt is between 7.1 – 9.1 meters, that of Warri stands at between 6.4 – 7.6 meters, Onne has between 8 – 11 meters and Calabar has 6.4 meters during high tide and 5.4 meters during low tide.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the maritime industry have attributed the situation of the ports to government neglect despite the huge potential for development of the areas and the Nigerian economy.

They also believe the full functioning of the ports in the Eastern and Delta areas would decongest the Lagos ports while increasing the nation’s maritime industry capacity in terms of volume of cargo through-put and clearing turn-around time.

The stakeholders disclosed that besides the technical deficiencies and the criminal attacks which had dented the risk ratings of the ports, the space sizes of the berths of the ports in the eastern and delta area, cargo handling equipment as well as the quays of the ports are adequate to operate effectively and efficiently.

Apart from the above seeming disadvantage, the quays, operational space, the cargo handling equipment are available to give port speedy and cheaper port services compared to those in Lagos, operators say.

The industry operators believe the government could have intervened in those identified deficiencies and bring the ports to good use. Michael Ogodo, Chairman Shippers Association of Cross Rivers State, SACRS, told Vanguard Maritime Report that the Calabar port as it is has the capacity to receive ocean going vessels and should be exploited by federal government through provision of incentives to stakeholders.

According to Ogodo, “Yes, the port has what it takes to receive bigger vessels if the channel is dredged. The SACRS chairman said though there seem to be a surge in shipping activities in Calabar port, it is driven by petroleum import which is not beneficial to the economy of the people.

According to Ogodo, only commercial imports can benefit the people and that has stopped some years back. He said export goods from the state have to be taken to Lagos before they are shipped out of the country.

The SACRS boss said 1999 and 2007 when Donald Duke was governor of the state, and the TINAPA and LAFARGE Africa PLC projects were on-going, a MaerskLine ship was calling at the port every fourth night and that they (shippers) took advantage of that to do direct export from there.

Six months before the completion of the projects during the regime governor Liyel Imoke, Ogodo said they had gone to the governor to intervene as Mearsk Line had said it could no longer come to Calabar at the completion of the project. He stressed that the efforts of the governor did not yield any positive result as the federal government did not respond positively to pleas by the state governor.

He noted that apart from the shallow nature of the ports’ channels, the berths’ depths are okay to receive most vessels. The other issue, he explained, is the constant pirates’ attacks on ships calling at the port.

He listed the obstacles to development and utilization of the Eastern and Delta ports including the absence of import and export cargoes, the difficult navigational area and the frequent attacks on vessels forced up the cost of freight by over 150 percent.

Consequently, according to him, while a consignment from China to Lagos would cost about $1,500 same consignments going to Calabar costs between $4,000 to $4,500.

He explained that the same reason is responsible for the hike in the insurance on both the ship and the cargo He recommended that government should acquire small vessels that do rounds from Lagos to Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri, taking consignments from Lagos to these ports as well as bringing export cargoes back to Lagos as an immediate quick win measure, while provision of security, dredging of the channel and giving concession to shipping lines should be the long term sustainable measure.

Industry chiefs speak Similarly, National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, Tony Iju Nwabunike, agreed with Ogodo on the issues of dredging of the channels and concession to shipping lines. He listed the non-functional ports including Warri, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Koko and even the new port in Delta State. Nwabunike noted that the federal government has not yet taken a decision with the concessionaires and shipping companies whom they have actually given the nod to bring in consignments to those areas.

He further explained: “Another problem about these ports is the freights; the freight has been the problem of these ports because those freights are higher than the freight at the Lagos ports. “People are actually looking forward to getting things cheaper when they import.

Most importantly, the consumers are more in Lagos but if there is competitive rate on the freight differentials, or putting them in very low level freight differentials, I think they can use these ports.

“So, I’m actually asking the federal government to make those ports user-friendly, if they make those ports very user-friendly, we can actually import through those ports. “It is important to decentralize like I always say, it is very important to decentralize so that people will use it.


“If you are importing from China, some are saying $2,500, & 3,500 for 20 feet container and $4000 to $5000 for the 40 feet container. If they can actually sail in the same rate or bring it a little bit down, people will now say, okay because of one thousand dollars they can go to eastern ports and do the business,” he concluded.

Speaking on the issue, Managing Director of PTOL, Lizzy Ovbude, blamed the neglect on government policies as well as the concessioning exercise. She said: “I know that when NPA was still the master sea dock, to improve traffic in the Eastern flank, NPA had to give about 30 percent discount. That was some years back, before the concessioning.

“They gave about 30 percent discount to vessels that are willing to come to the Eastern ports. That was a kind of encouragement to enable vessels to come to this part of the country. But after the concessioning, there has been no such encouragement.

“For Port Harcourt port, I don’t know whether it is a kind of conspiracy from ship owners; you know that the shipping industry is dominated by foreigners. “They own the vessels. I do know that we have done a lot of marketing campaigns from Port Harcourt ports here.

We have been to clients at Enugu, Aba, Onitsha, Nnewi, which is the Eastern flank, who import through Lagos and made them know that we are actually back. They have shown a lot of interest but one issue we have always had is the vessels to bring such cargo, that is, containerized vessels.

“Before now, we had reached an agreement with two shipping lines who agreed to come and as we were doing the marketing campaign, they suddenly withdrew their vessels. “And you know, when you have been to a client once, twice and they are showing interest and suddenly everything goes down, they will not take you seriously anymore.

“That is what the shipping companies have made us look like. And up until now, we still have clients that have been calling, making enquires on vessels that could come. “They are all foreign ship owners and if they say they are not coming, we cannot force them to come. And that is why you see the importers go to Lagos and begin to truck their cargo down.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the NPA proved abortive as neither of the Assistant General Managers in the Corporate and Strategic Communications of the Authority, Isah Sewuad and Ibrahim Nasiru, picked their calls. Former Managing Director of the NPA, Habib Abdullahi, had said that the low level of the river which makes the siltation (rate of return of sand to the channel after dredging) level very high is the cause of the delay in the dredging of the channel.

Abdullahi, who spoke through the then General Manager in charge of Public Affairs, Emmanuel Ebubuegu, said “The study of geography tells us that at the lower course of the river, the level of sedimentation is very high.

Incidentally, the ports of Warri, Calaber and Port Harcourt are all situated at the lower course of river. If you do not do something to address the hindrance properly, you will always be fighting with nature.”

For Warri port, he said in 2015 the Authority had commenced the process leading to the dredging of the channel by engaging the services of two firms to do the preliminary work.

He said the two firms are Royal Ascony, which is looking at the break waters, and Ace Consulting that is working on the pre-dredging. Three years after nothing has been done, only confirming the fears in some quarters that the neglect of the Eastern and Delta ports is deliberate.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/why-eastern-delta-ports-are-not-utilised-by-importers-industry-chieftains/
Simply put that the PMB led administration is unable to provide adequate security in these areas for the operation of Port.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Yankee101: 7:52pm On Aug 15, 2018
South East and Deta, doh. Una need to call boys to order to enhance una own progress. No ships go go there if them go hijack them!
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by OrangeOlamide: 8:00pm On Aug 15, 2018
This is very sad


______________________________________________________________________________________

NEW SERIES BIAFRA WAR STORIES



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahoK97dot_w



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=warwyTXqt1I
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by erico2k2(m): 8:04pm On Aug 15, 2018
Yankee101:
South East and Deta, doh. Una need to call boys to order to enhance una own progress. No ships go go there if them go hijack them!
can I ask you and ther rest of you lot, a simple question
DO INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS LAND IN TEH NIGER DELTA?(EU AND US)
DOES INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER AND GENRAL CARGO SHIPS LAND TEH NIGER DELTA huh huh
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Sagay212: 8:07pm On Aug 15, 2018
Fix the damn port and put security men there. These politicians are so greedy and foolis.h .... Just look at the useless excuse they are giving meanwhile these basta.rds have over 100k policemen following them around to protect them. thesame port they are claiming is insercure is the port lebanese /chinese/indians or southafricans will take over and turn it to a mutli billion naira port and then the useless govt will start disturbing them for tax and the mumus supporting the useless politicians will start crying foreigners are treating them badly in their country.

you cannot provide security for port but you can build houses all over the world with stolen funds.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by tete7000(m): 8:13pm On Aug 15, 2018
No one can enslave you without your acquiescence and collaboration. While I totally agree there are certain things federal government ought to have done, I equally believe there are certain things easterners are not doing right that makes the federal government have excuse not to do what they ought to do.
People can argue that money is being spent on the northern Nigeria, the truth we all known is that no development is taking place in that part of the country despite the money being spent. Development cannot come to a place where there is no security. Oil can be drilled and imported despite the high security risk involved because of high return on investment, same cannot be said of commercial shipping.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by maduxs: 8:32pm On Aug 15, 2018
Economic colonization
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by 9gerian: 8:36pm On Aug 15, 2018
Apt!

clarocuzioo:
Very funny, but the security and depth challenges are not stopping the FG from exporting crude from there. Security is a global issue, not jst Nigeria, and any responsible and sincere government will tackle it, that's why nobody questions their security vote.
Come to think of it, the country is spending heavily on security in the North which profits the country nothing, yet spending such money in south south which will definitely bring about improved trade and development is difficult for them.
Let them continue with their politics of hatred and bitterness.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by OgaBuhari: 8:40pm On Aug 15, 2018
freeze001:
Are these problems/challenges insurmountable? What really will it take a serious, honest, people-minded government to provide adequate security and make as many places suitable for business? Clearly the mantra of decentralisation and diversification is just political noise and that is why Nigeria is showing next to no signs of progress.

The fact that only the FG has exclusive power to address these issues remains a major problem. How can the economy be diversified if there is contrived government-approved dependence on just one port with no effort to expand, secure and improve the use of others along the coastal line? If it is to access crude oil for drilling and export they can fight nature and insecurity challenges but on issues that empower citizens directly, it becomes a big deal...such a shame really.
lies by fg so that won't develop ports in the eastern region.
Ibaka deep sea port does not needs dredging as it's depth is up to 16m and that region is peaceful with zero militant activities
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by powerblaze(m): 8:44pm On Aug 15, 2018
REALLYhuhhuh?

Robbery, Militancy scare, is why we have one functioning port in a country as large as this? Unbelievable
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Nobody: 8:48pm On Aug 15, 2018
ONNE FTZ IN THE SAME LOCATION AS NPA PORT HARCOURT HAD THE HIGHEST CARGO TRAFFIC IN NIGERIA OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
HOW COME IT IS NOT AFFECTED BY SHALLOW DRAFT, SEA PIRACY AND OTHER INSECURITIES?
IS IT BECAUSE IT IS BEING RUN BY AN ABOKI BUSINESSMAN / PARTNER?
NEVER WORRY THIS SAME PEOPLE WILL EAT THEIR WORD WHEN MOVEMENT IN EKO IS FINALLY BROUGHT TO A HALT?
IS IT NOT THE SAME GOVERMENT THAT IS CARRYING OUT DREDGING UPTO TO BARO CLOSE TO LOKOJA?
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by lastempero: 8:48pm On Aug 15, 2018
freeze001:
Are these problems/challenges insurmountable? What really will it take a serious, honest, people-minded government to provide adequate security and make as many places suitable for business? Clearly the mantra of decentralisation and diversification is just political noise and that is why Nigeria is showing next to no signs of progress.

The fact that only the FG has exclusive power to address these issues remains a major problem. How can the economy be diversified if there is contrived government-approved dependence on just one port with no effort to expand, secure and improve the use of others along the coastal line? If it is to access crude oil for drilling and export they can fight nature and insecurity challenges but on issues that empower citizens directly, it becomes a big deal...such a shame really.
My sister you have spoken well,Fg is the typical papa deceiving pikin.Go to Bonny island and see the big ship that berth there to export our gas but when it comes to the one that will generate money for all sundry, they will start giving reasons.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by LoveThemChubby(m): 8:57pm On Aug 15, 2018
freeze001:
Are these problems/challenges insurmountable? What really will it take a serious, honest, people-minded government to provide adequate security and make as many places suitable for business? Clearly the mantra of decentralisation and diversification is just political noise and that is why Nigeria is showing next to no signs of progress.

The fact that only the FG has exclusive power to address these issues remains a major problem. How can the economy be diversified if there is contrived government-approved dependence on just one port with no effort to expand, secure and improve the use of others along the coastal line? If it is to access crude oil for drilling and export they can fight nature and insecurity challenges but on issues that empower citizens directly, it becomes a big deal...such a shame really.
This is clearly not a government issue. Go to the SS and see how these touts harrass oil companies and you will understand why doing business in these areas is difficult. Until there is attitudinal change in the youth of these regions, real development will ever elude them. Just take a look at the rate at which oil companies moved their operational bases to Lagos. This isn't political as some people make it look.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by islandmoon: 9:11pm On Aug 15, 2018
Rotimi Amechi , your brother is the minister of transportation, he can influence things, yet you are whining
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by SuperS1Panther: 9:32pm On Aug 15, 2018
PrecisionFx:
Yoruba n Hausa governments shutdown all seaports in eastern nigeria, over 5 ports.
What was your Hero from Otuoke looking at for over 5years?

I thought you said he turned South Hate into Dubai.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by otokx(m): 10:08pm On Aug 15, 2018
There is not much of a security challenge but more of a political decision.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by joe120120(m): 10:12pm On Aug 15, 2018
yns4real:
By Godfrey Bivbere

The plight of ports at the Nigeria’s eastern and delta coastlines may have been compounded by sea robbery and militancy even as some technical challenges linger.

Vanguard Maritime Report investigations reveal that the spate of attacks has not been contained even after seize fire with militants about three years ago. [/b]

[b]Consequently, international shipping firms have placed high-risk rating in the freight charges, a situation which has made cost of shipments to the ports uncompetitive. For example while it costs shipment from China to Lagos would cost about $1,500 same consignments going to Calabar costs between $4,000 to $4,500.

In addition to the cost challenges, investigations by Vanguard Maritime Report also indicated some technical short-comings in the ports such as shallow berths and draft deficiency of the channels. The ports currently have berth depth of between 6 – 11 meters compared to the Lagos port with berth depth ranging from 9 – 13.5 meters.

Standard port berths in other West African countries like Accra, Ghana is 19 metres, Lome, Togo is 16 metres, Cameroon at 16 metres and Cotonou, Benin Republic at 15 metres. With this technical deficiency the ports at the eastern and delta coastlines would not be able to take size of container-bearing vessels that normally call at standard ports, except for specialised vessels constructed as flat bottom which many international shipping firms have not been willing to use.

The other technical deficiency with the ports, Vanguard Maritime Report investigations show, is that the draught of the channels are below standard. For the channel leading to the ports, Lagos port has a draught of 13.5 meters, that of Port Harcourt is between 7.1 – 9.1 meters, that of Warri stands at between 6.4 – 7.6 meters, Onne has between 8 – 11 meters and Calabar has 6.4 meters during high tide and 5.4 meters during low tide.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the maritime industry have attributed the situation of the ports to government neglect despite the huge potential for development of the areas and the Nigerian economy.

They also believe the full functioning of the ports in the Eastern and Delta areas would decongest the Lagos ports while increasing the nation’s maritime industry capacity in terms of volume of cargo through-put and clearing turn-around time.

The stakeholders disclosed that besides the technical deficiencies and the criminal attacks which had dented the risk ratings of the ports, the space sizes of the berths of the ports in the eastern and delta area, cargo handling equipment as well as the quays of the ports are adequate to operate effectively and efficiently.

Apart from the above seeming disadvantage, the quays, operational space, the cargo handling equipment are available to give port speedy and cheaper port services compared to those in Lagos, operators say.

The industry operators believe the government could have intervened in those identified deficiencies and bring the ports to good use. Michael Ogodo, Chairman Shippers Association of Cross Rivers State, SACRS, told Vanguard Maritime Report that the Calabar port as it is has the capacity to receive ocean going vessels and should be exploited by federal government through provision of incentives to stakeholders.

According to Ogodo, “Yes, the port has what it takes to receive bigger vessels if the channel is dredged. The SACRS chairman said though there seem to be a surge in shipping activities in Calabar port, it is driven by petroleum import which is not beneficial to the economy of the people.

According to Ogodo, only commercial imports can benefit the people and that has stopped some years back. He said export goods from the state have to be taken to Lagos before they are shipped out of the country.

The SACRS boss said 1999 and 2007 when Donald Duke was governor of the state, and the TINAPA and LAFARGE Africa PLC projects were on-going, a MaerskLine ship was calling at the port every fourth night and that they (shippers) took advantage of that to do direct export from there.

Six months before the completion of the projects during the regime governor Liyel Imoke, Ogodo said they had gone to the governor to intervene as Mearsk Line had said it could no longer come to Calabar at the completion of the project. He stressed that the efforts of the governor did not yield any positive result as the federal government did not respond positively to pleas by the state governor.

He noted that apart from the shallow nature of the ports’ channels, the berths’ depths are okay to receive most vessels. The other issue, he explained, is the constant pirates’ attacks on ships calling at the port.

He listed the obstacles to development and utilization of the Eastern and Delta ports including the absence of import and export cargoes, the difficult navigational area and the frequent attacks on vessels forced up the cost of freight by over 150 percent.

Consequently, according to him, while a consignment from China to Lagos would cost about $1,500 same consignments going to Calabar costs between $4,000 to $4,500.

He explained that the same reason is responsible for the hike in the insurance on both the ship and the cargo He recommended that government should acquire small vessels that do rounds from Lagos to Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri, taking consignments from Lagos to these ports as well as bringing export cargoes back to Lagos as an immediate quick win measure, while provision of security, dredging of the channel and giving concession to shipping lines should be the long term sustainable measure.

Industry chiefs speak Similarly, National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, Tony Iju Nwabunike, agreed with Ogodo on the issues of dredging of the channels and concession to shipping lines. He listed the non-functional ports including Warri, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Koko and even the new port in Delta State. Nwabunike noted that the federal government has not yet taken a decision with the concessionaires and shipping companies whom they have actually given the nod to bring in consignments to those areas.

He further explained: “Another problem about these ports is the freights; the freight has been the problem of these ports because those freights are higher than the freight at the Lagos ports. “People are actually looking forward to getting things cheaper when they import.

Most importantly, the consumers are more in Lagos but if there is competitive rate on the freight differentials, or putting them in very low level freight differentials, I think they can use these ports.

“So, I’m actually asking the federal government to make those ports user-friendly, if they make those ports very user-friendly, we can actually import through those ports. “It is important to decentralize like I always say, it is very important to decentralize so that people will use it.


“If you are importing from China, some are saying $2,500, & 3,500 for 20 feet container and $4000 to $5000 for the 40 feet container. If they can actually sail in the same rate or bring it a little bit down, people will now say, okay because of one thousand dollars they can go to eastern ports and do the business,” he concluded.

Speaking on the issue, Managing Director of PTOL, Lizzy Ovbude, blamed the neglect on government policies as well as the concessioning exercise. She said: “I know that when NPA was still the master sea dock, to improve traffic in the Eastern flank, NPA had to give about 30 percent discount. That was some years back, before the concessioning.

“They gave about 30 percent discount to vessels that are willing to come to the Eastern ports. That was a kind of encouragement to enable vessels to come to this part of the country. But after the concessioning, there has been no such encouragement.

“For Port Harcourt port, I don’t know whether it is a kind of conspiracy from ship owners; you know that the shipping industry is dominated by foreigners. “They own the vessels. I do know that we have done a lot of marketing campaigns from Port Harcourt ports here.

We have been to clients at Enugu, Aba, Onitsha, Nnewi, which is the Eastern flank, who import through Lagos and made them know that we are actually back. They have shown a lot of interest but one issue we have always had is the vessels to bring such cargo, that is, containerized vessels.

“Before now, we had reached an agreement with two shipping lines who agreed to come and as we were doing the marketing campaign, they suddenly withdrew their vessels. “And you know, when you have been to a client once, twice and they are showing interest and suddenly everything goes down, they will not take you seriously anymore.

“That is what the shipping companies have made us look like. And up until now, we still have clients that have been calling, making enquires on vessels that could come. “They are all foreign ship owners and if they say they are not coming, we cannot force them to come. And that is why you see the importers go to Lagos and begin to truck their cargo down.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the NPA proved abortive as neither of the Assistant General Managers in the Corporate and Strategic Communications of the Authority, Isah Sewuad and Ibrahim Nasiru, picked their calls. Former Managing Director of the NPA, Habib Abdullahi, had said that the low level of the river which makes the siltation (rate of return of sand to the channel after dredging) level very high is the cause of the delay in the dredging of the channel.

Abdullahi, who spoke through the then General Manager in charge of Public Affairs, Emmanuel Ebubuegu, said “The study of geography tells us that at the lower course of the river, the level of sedimentation is very high.

Incidentally, the ports of Warri, Calaber and Port Harcourt are all situated at the lower course of river. If you do not do something to address the hindrance properly, you will always be fighting with nature.”

For Warri port, he said in 2015 the Authority had commenced the process leading to the dredging of the channel by engaging the services of two firms to do the preliminary work.

He said the two firms are Royal Ascony, which is looking at the break waters, and Ace Consulting that is working on the pre-dredging. Three years after nothing has been done, only confirming the fears in some quarters that the neglect of the Eastern and Delta ports is deliberate.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/why-eastern-delta-ports-are-not-utilised-by-importers-industry-chieftains/
When we got independent. the zoo will see Biafras ports.
Re: Robbery, Militancy Scare, Technical Issues Render Eastern, Delta Ports Unusable by Nobody: 10:14pm On Aug 15, 2018
SuperS1Panther:
What was your Hero from Otuoke looking at for over 5years?

I thought you said he turned South Hate into Dubai.
So the plan of the Awusa-Yoruba-fulani brotherhood is to blame GEJ for the absolute neglect, injustices, lack of development in eastern nigeria that has lasted for over 48 years ?? grin


We know better.
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