Public Hearing on Ports Decongestion Commences, as NAVY, NPA, NIMASSA and NIWA Come Under Fire

The Ad hoc committee set up by the House of Representatives to “determine why the Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne, Calabar and Onitsha Inland ports complexes are not being put to maximum use” started public hearing yesterday, Thursday, August 15, 2019. Civil societies, MDAs, maritime stakeholders, security agencies and other interested members of the public were in attendance.

The stakeholders in their various submissions listed poor infrastructure at the ports, lack of motorable inter state roads, shallow waterway channels, and security as the major problems causing the underutilisation of the Eastern ports.

In his submission, Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi, a member of the Ad hoc committee and sponsor of the motion noted that the Apapa gridlock is a national disgrace, and that stakeholders should be more concerned with proferring solutions than listing the problems, as these problems have been known for years. He maintained that finding solutions is the main reason for the institutiom of the committee. Ibezi bemoaned the fact that the Nigerian Navy is still using the British hydrographic Chart of 1903 as mentioned in their submission.

He also challenged the stakeholders to be more proactive in proffering solutions to the problem, as we must get it right this time by ensuring that the Eastern ports are put to maximal use.

In the course of the hearing, the NPA, NIMASSA, and NIWA came under fire of the committee as each claimed responsibility for the removal of wrecks in the waterway channels. Interestingly each of these agencies budget and receive allocations independently for the removal of the said wrecks. In his clarification, the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Transport, Sabin Zakari explained that this is caused by the overlapse in the Acts that that established these agencies, and an urgent amendment is needed to rectify this.

The chairman of the Committee, Hon. Baba Yusuf Yakub assured Nigerians that the Committee is committed to ensuring the decongestion of the Lagos ports and the full utilisation of the Eastern ports.

The ad-hoc committee shall also hold public hearings with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Onitsha, and Lagos in a bid to ensuring a holistic approach towards solving the problem. The committee also plans to visit all the ports concerned.

It will be recalled that following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Anthony Ibezi on Tuesday, July 18, 2019, the House of Representatives set up a 14-man ad hoc committee with Hon. Baba Yusuf Yakub as its Chairman. Other members of the committee are Hon. Ifeanyi Ibezi, Hon. Makama Missau Ibrahim, Hon. Onuh Blessing Onyeche, Hon. Haruna Maitala, Hon. Victor Amela, Hon. Nuhu Yakubu Danja, Hon. Aliyu Ibrahim Almustapha, Hon. Alex Egbona, Hon. Akiolu Moshood Kayode, Hon. Kolade Victor Akinjo, Hon. Olayide Adewale Akinremi, Hon. Kalu Benjamin Okezie and Hon. Suny Goli Isreal.

The committee is to seek ways of restoring the full use of Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne, Calabar and Onitsha Inland ports in order to decongest Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.

The ad-hoc committee is expected to report back within six weeks with its findings for further legislative action.


Source:https://www.punchng.com/apapa-gridlock-stakeholders-want-other-ports-developed/amp/

Nice one

...I hope this commendable efforts will not be sabotaged by people that gain selfishly from this problem.

Its easy,just divert some vessels to Calabar and One ports,

Very good. I never even like the idea of leaving my own town/state to go and develop another when I will be indirectly mocking mine. At least my business plan will easily come to reality.

Commendable

Verified WeChat and Alipay wallet available.

Another comedy show to deceive the gulible Nigerians. I can only see hypocrites and parasites pretending to be patriotic
All na scam

F

Public hearing on port congestion.
Really??

There was a Country!!

Soon it will be, Public hearing on BUHARI trips abroad

okeyumez:
Another comedy show to deceive the gulible Nigerians. I can only see hypocrites and parasites pretending to be patriotic
All na scam

make dem finish first na

This is the only reason why I am angry when I look back at Jonathan's administration. A man that is from the Niger Delta could not see that opening the Niger Delta ports is the gateway to transforming the region. There is a natural port in Koko.

Though his advisers from this region are to share the bulk of the blame because of their greed to embezzle free oil money, nobody looked at a sincere need to develop the region.

This enquiry is just an avenue for some to chop, nothing will come out of it. When two inland ports where opened with one in Kaduna did they organise any kangaroo sitting like this.

Yoruba politicians out of greed has turned Lagos port to what it is today. The port is the key to what Lagos is today. Let all goods come to Lagos is their motto. They should enjoy the repercussions of their greed.

Fools, it's now you've realised there's an urgent need to do the needful. The thought they were victimising the Easterners without knowing they were victimising themselves!!!

I saw the report last night, the Navy guy was saying something about no equipment in the other ports and the depth. But money is always spent on all these things every year. They recently spent money dredging the Warri port. And there was an upgrade of the Onitsha port. So all these na pure lip service. A country where only one port is functioning and money is allocated to others.

peteofi:
I saw the report last night, the Navy guy was saying something about no equipment in the other ports and the depth. But money is always spent on all these things every year. They recently spent money dredging the Warri port. And there was an upgrade of the Onitsha port. So all these na pure lip service. A country where only one port is functioning and money is allocated to others.

Sad indeed

Nigeria will have to be deliberate and honest in her policies before this country can achieve her true destiny if greatness

Nigeria is a COUNTRY and NOT a NATION. This is the reason nothing will ever work unless on papers. Beautiful proposals are buried because nations inside the country struggle for nationality interest. Phillippines has nothing except Sea fronts and Agriculture but it's not as poor as Nigeria because all their Ports are open for business and a lot of revenue are made therefrom. Black people are lazy. They hate you when you prosper in their land. But the Whites and Asians love you when you prosper in their land. Black people only love women and religion, the two most destructive stuff in a man's life.

Good step let's not quickly condemn this policy rather let us encourage them and see where it goes and hope for the best to concentrate about the whole other ports are working it's a plus to the economy of Nigeria

Lol I will always come people like you.. don't trynna use the words Easterners don't count south south to your parts fight only for your east parts coz I don't see why eastern do count south south together with them lol lolz...

Dreadful:
Fools, it's now you've realised there's an urgent need to do the needful. The thought they were victimising the Easterners without knowing they were victimising themselves!!!

It appears nothing good will come out of it, it has always be like that, we seems not to trust our government on anything...

hon ifeanyi ibezi weldone.
This is one best thing that will happen to nigeria if achieved.

This is applaudible move. I sincerely pray this works. Everything cannot continue to be Lagos, Lagos and Lagos. Although I see Tinubu doing his best to thwart this effort.

There are many reasons this country cannot grow and will not grow in the next 500yrs to come if we continue with the present mentality. An important thread like this that directly affects the economy of the country, look at the paltry number of viewers/comments. But if it's about sex now, this thread would have hit 30pages with not less than 150k viewers. Our problem starts with our mentality. The mentality needs to be totally overhauled.

When we told them the difference between Hon. Ibezi and Osita Chidoka is too wide a gap, some people doubted us. Now, the "Reality" which Hon. Ibezi is a core proponent of is beginning to unfold.

Indeed, Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi (Ochiagha) is a blessing not only to Umu Idemili but Nigeria.

To God be the glory!

radiolover:
This is applaudible move. I sincerely pray this works. Everything cannot continue to be Lagos, Lagos and Lagos. Although I see Tinubu doing his best to thwart this effort.

Must you rope in Tinubu into this?

Can't you make your submission and face your front?

Must you guys always tribalise every reasonable thread/topic?

Kwanyere onwe gi ugwu o.

Morenikeji070:
Lol I will always come people like you.. don't trynna use the words Easterners don't count south south to your parts fight only for your east parts coz I don't see why eastern do count south south together with them lol lolz...

You do not need to see why, just know that it is what it is. The SE/SS make u the Eastern region of Nigeria, SE/SS/SW are all Southern states. That is the geography of Nigeria that you cannot change. The current SE/SS nomenclatures are only for centralisation and administrative purposes. Bottom line is for equitable distribution of funds and services, simple!

Is a good move if the house of rep will see to the end of it

Shame on all pdp supporters of eastern and south south region. When your party hold sway in power for almost 16 years, this people oriented policy never occurred to them, they only interested in enriching themselves. And the gullible folks never held them to account. Well may God give Nigerians Sense generally to realize that govt is not to be supported because na my tribe man dey there. A word is enough for the wise. Shalom

Everybody foolish Igbo come NL to make more foolish comment. Since 1960 till date how many times did a Yoruba man rule Nigerian or was a Yoruba made minister of transportation to garner all the power you attributed to it in Nigeria ?

efeteb:
This is the only reason why I am angry when I look back at Jonathan's administration. A man that is from the Niger Delta could not see that opening the Niger Delta ports is the gateway to transforming the region. There is a natural port in Koko.

Though his advisers from this region are to share the bulk of the blame because of their greed to embezzle free oil money, nobody looked at a sincere need to develop the region.

This enquiry is just an avenue for some to chop, nothing will come out of it. When two inland ports where opened with one in Kaduna did they organise any kangaroo sitting like this.

Yoruba politicians out of greed has turned Lagos port to what it is today. The port is the key to what Lagos is today. Let all goods come to Lagos is their motto. They should enjoy the repercussions of their greed.