Investment sustainability in nation’s ports depends on cargo availability – Expert
A shipper, Rev. Jonathan Nicole, said on Monday that the sustainability of the massive investment in the nation’s ports depends on the availability of cargo.
Nicole made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Nicole, past president of the Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS), said that shippers in Nigeria provide cargoes relentlessly, but they are the most humiliated and ravaged.
“We have in the pipeline the following deep sea ports: Ondo, Ilaje; Delta, Burutu, and Forcados; Ibom, Aquah Ibom; Badagry in Lagos; Lekki Deep Seaport; Onne Deep Seaport.
“We also have the river ports in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Sapele, and Koko.
“All these ports were built as Nigeria’s assets for exports and imports of goods and services, which are massive investments. Their sustainability depends on the availability of cargoes.
"So, the government needs to look into the plight of shippers to ensure that they continuously provide the cargoes,” he said.
The maritime expert said that there was a need for the reorganization of the Nigeria Customs Service for the maritime industry to move forward and contribute to the gross domestic product.
He added that “all the government agencies, serving or retired, in past regimes should not be allowed to fish in our harmless waters.”
In President Bola Tinubu’s speech onDemocracy Day, especially on how to repay Nigerians’ sufferings with massive investment in transportation infrastructure, Nicole noted that the country’s survival also depends equally on sacrifices from all.
According to Nicole, Tinubu’s speech brought back the old days of “tightening your belts”, when the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) was introduced.
“Nigerians accepted the appeal and went through the hardships of life through the deliberate withdrawal of economic reforms, up to date.
“For the trading platform, it became a free-for-all display of non-professionals, manning the maritime sector. Until now, ruled by technocrats The maritime industry was grossly damaged by inadequate and deliberate economic policies.
“All reforms failed. Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) took over and some became reformers, only on how much they can take in. Professionalism went underground.
“Following the statement of Mr. President today, he again appealed to Nigerians to continue to tighten their belts more,” he said.
According to him, unfortunately, the creators of the source of suffering for Nigerians are among the people, with the commonwealth of Nigerians.
NAN reports that Tinubu, in his Democracy Day speech, said that he had painfully asked Nigerians, his compatriots, to sacrifice a little more for the survival of the country.
Tinubu assured Nigerians that their sacrifice would not be in vain for the trust and belief they have in the administration.
“The government I lead will repay you through massive investment in transportation infrastructure, education, regular power supply, healthcare, and other public utilities that will improve the quality of lives," Tinubu said.
