NIMAREX boss canvasses use of Eastern ports to ease congestion in Lagos

To ease the problem of persistent traffic congestion currently confronting port users and operators within Nigeria’s major economic gateway in Lagos, Ayorinde Adedoyin, chairman, NIMAREX 2015 planning committee, has called on the government to look at the possibility of encouraging more people to use the Eastern ports of Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri that are currently lying idle.

According to Adedoyin, in a chat with BusinessDay, people are not using the Eastern ports because the facilities are not in good condition. “The government can look at the option of giving waivers and concession to users of these ports to encourage them to continue using the ports. This will help in reducing the cost of transporting cleared cargo from the port to the importers’ warehouse in the East, North and North Central states,” says Adedoyin.

To him, government needs to upgrade the existing ports to a level where people will have more confidence to use them, as “the problem in the port supposed to be a national problem because there is no adequate infrastructure to cater for the demand of the port. These are all the issues, which the incoming government needs to look into and we need to have more ports in Nigeria while.”

Government, he says, can also encourage private companies to invest in the development of container terminals around Badagry area to reduce congestion in other Lagos ports. “This will also help our road network by reducing the pressure on the roads because what is destroying the roads around Lagos area is the amount of trucks carrying containers that are plying the road. It will also help in reducing the demurrage importers and their agents pay to vessel owners,” he notes.

The major problem facing the Nigerian maritime sector, he says, has to do with none recognition or the nonchalant attitude of government towards the development of the sector.

According to him, the 2015 edition of the maritime expo will create an avenue where operators in the maritime sector can make their voices to be recognised, as we want to talk about ourselves because there is need for our voices to be heard.