Expert Says Eastern Ports Have High Revenue, Employment Potential

Expert Says Eastern Ports Have High Revenue, Employment Potential

 

 

— A maritime expert, Dr. Babalola James, says Nigeria’s eastern seaports have the potential to generate huge revenue and create employment if adequately developed and supported.

 

James, who is the Secretary of the Rivers and Bayelsa Shippers Association, said this in an interview with Newsmen Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

 

He said the eastern ports, which include Port Harcourt, Warri, Calabar, Onne, Sapele and Koko, were underutilised mainly due to political factors.

 

According to him, there is a lack of political will to promote and ensure patronage of the eastern ports.

 

James noted that the geographical location of the ports also posed challenges, as they are located within creeks, unlike the Lagos ports which are situated on the open sea.

 

The former spokesperson of the Shipping Trade Practitioners Association of Nigeria said most of the infrastructure at the eastern ports was old and dilapidated.

 

He said the Federal Government should create incentives to attract shippers and investors to the ports.

 

James also blamed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for neglecting the eastern ports following a visit by the American Coast Guard.

 

According to him, Lagos Port was used as a case study during the visit and all recommendations made were implemented there, while the eastern ports were not given similar attention.

 

He said that despite the poor state of infrastructure, the eastern ports were still generating significant revenue for the Federal Government.

 

James said millions of dollars and trillions of naira were being paid into the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account from activities at the eastern ports.

 

He said improved infrastructure would lead to increased revenue generation and create more employment opportunities in the Niger Delta region.

 

James described the eastern ports as strategic to the nation’s economy and called for dredging of channels and rehabilitation of berths.

 

He added that ports in Delta State and parts of the Port Harcourt Port Complex required extensive dredging due to low draft levels.