Maduako Igbokwe I Tuesday, Feb. 20. 2024
AWKA, Nigeria – Anambra Shippers Association, ASA has called on the Federal government and South-East governors to put in place all necessary framework to start the process of making Onitsha River Port fully operational.
According to ASA, if the port is fully operational it has the capacity to accommodate over 1, 500 containers.
President of Anambra State Chapter of the association, Hon Emma Akpaka who spoke to reporters in Awka on Tuesday said non-activeness of the port is seriously affecting importers in the South East.
According to him, if the port is put in use, it will go a long way to ameliorate the sufferings of the business and industrial community in the geopolitical zone .
He also urged the South East Governor’s Forum to provide an economic framework to jumpstart the process of making the port fully operational.
“As we speak, the port can accommodate about 1,600 containers , although our dream is that any container that enters the port will go with the owner immediately and even in the event of congestion this port can still be expanded towards Omambala River.
“It is called Onitsha River Port but the implication , it is more of South East Port , because this is the only River Port in the entire South East of Nigeria”
Ndigbo must appreciate its existence through constant patronage and moreover ,we pray that the Federal government will not use the politics of carrot and stick here ” he said.
According to Akpaka,the Port is natural and old as nature, noting that it is on record that after the era of Mongo Park and Lander Brothers , Royal Niger Company now UAC used the Port for their imports of foreign goods and export of red oil and other raw materials.
“In view of that I wish to use this medium to remind the South-East governors that this port is for all of us, including parts of the middle belt zone especially Benue state ”
“These governors should organise a seminar immediately to sensitise major stakeholders in the zone about the importance of this port and as well protect it as if it is the only milk-cow of the region” he said.
He called for the establishment of a jetty in Onitsha as it would facilitate the movement of customers , especially those from across the Niger and riverine communities .
Akpaka also noted that with such a development the cost and time of doing business will greatly be minimised and by doing so the aging Niger Bridge will be less busy.
