The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA Area1 chapter Chairmanship hopeful Mazi Emmanuel Ebere Onwuka has called for the dredging of Rivers Port.
Speaking to Newsmen in his office last week in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital, Onwuka said the shallow draft of the Rivers Port Channel is affecting the number of vessels calling at the ports.
According to him, Rivers Port can only accommodate lighter vessels especially those carrying bulk instead of big vessels with containerized Cargoes.
Onwuka who scored Rivers Port location high, wondered why the government has not deemed it fit to dredge the Port and improve port facilities like the expansion of Port access road and other infrastructures.
He said “the location of this Port is good, banks are close here, in short most of the things we need to ensure a seamless maritime business is here but government is busy talking of developing Lekki Port, Badagry port and others instead of improving on the one our fore fathers handed over to us “
Am not against them developing new Ports, but the Ministry of Marine and Blue economy should look towards this direction.”
Continuing, Onwuka said,” Apart from the expansion done around the Qay areas by Port and Terminal Management Company this Port which is a premier port has been like that over the years. The other day, I went to Onne to clear a container, which ordinarily should have been here, imagine before the consignment could reach its destination, most of the items like glasses have broken into pieces due to bad road.
Government and the authorities concern should help us and by so doing, the federal government would boost its revenue generation base “Onwuka averred
Emphasizing on what he intends to do if elected as the chapter Chairman, Onwuka added” We will market the Port actively with other stakeholders. “This idealists Winning Team, We will Win” Onwuka enthused.
On how they will do that he insisted, “We will engage all the relevant stakeholders like Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Mines Industry and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) Importers and shipping companies among others. My team, the idealists, will make sure this Port works effectively. As we are marketing this Port, we will market Ibeto Port because Ibeto Port is part of Area1. And Ibeto port has modern port facilities and a massive stacking area.”
“We will go to Nnewi, Onitsha and Aba to canvas for Importers to come. We will tell them why it is better to import through the Rivers ports instead of Lagos.”
Shipping companies will start to bringing their vessels here, we must achieve that for the betterment of our members in particular and Nigeria in general” Onwuka insisted.
Piqued by the activities of some recalcitrant traders who are bent to sabotage the efforts of the government agencies at the ports especially Nigeria Customs Service by engaging in an unwholesome trade, Mazi Onwuka, the incumbent Vice Chairman of ANLCA Area 1 said “we are compliance association and due process business men” and even to the extent that my colleagues see my office as CPC.”
He vowed that no unwholesome trader would be allowed to operate at Area 1.
“I told you I am a due process and compliance agent.” We will enhance our relationship with Customs and other government agencies at the Port to ensure agents comply with the fiscal policies of the Federal government”
On his prospect of winning the election, come February 2025, he noted that everything has been put in place by his team and the ASECO led by Mr. Obiora Elochukwu has equally advocated a peaceful campaign devoid of rancour and acrimony.
His words, “our team, the Idealists have done everything that needed to be done for us to emerge as the next chapter executive of ANLCA Area1 Port Harcourt, with God being on our side We will win. But let me advise our members, they should not vote for somebody that they will regret in future. We have integrity and accessibility. We are here 24/7 at the Port and we are ready to work.”
By Bon Peters
