Rivers Ports: Eastern Ports Positioned For Increased Investment, as Dantsoho Tours Onne

By Bon Peters

In continuation of his resolve to galvanize port concessionaires and terminal operators into increasing their In-Country investments in Port infrastructure equipment, the Managing Director Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho on Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th December, 2024 undertook an operational and investment campaign tour of Onne and Rivers Port Complexes.

This visit which is coming on the heels of his tour of Lagos Ports of Apapa and TinCan earlier on 27th November, 2024 signposts the current administration’s readiness to deepen Nigeria’s  competitiveness in vessel and cargo traffic to match the needs of Nigeria’s huge population of over 200 million inhabitants.

The tour covered BRAWAL Oil Services Ltd, Onne Multipurpose Terminal, INTELS, INDORAMA,West African Container Terminal (WACT),   NOTORE, and the terminals  at Rivers Port Complex  Port Harcourt

Speaking in the course of the tour, Dantsoho stressed that “with the quantum of investments, our maritime neighbours especially along the West & Central African Coast are attracting, we can only stay competitive if we redouble our investment drive in order to provide requisite infrastructure and equipment to attract the sizes of vessels that scale up our cargo throughput to adequately serve our huge population”.

His words, “as far as this Management is concerned we have the mandate of the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy   Adegboyega Oyetola to create the enablers for increased investment, and we are poised to do just that”.

Continuing, he added, “let me seize this moment to reiterate my earlier plea to investors to take maximum advantage of the investor-friendliness of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to infuse greater Investment and be assured of guaranteed return on investment”.

The NPA helmsman who was recently elected as the first ever Nigerian President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA) concluded the tour by stating that “the reality of Nigerian Ports processing Two Million Containers of cargo to service a population of over Two Hundred Million is an anomaly that has to be urgently addressed through deployment of huge investments.”

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Onne Port Complex Manager, Mr Abdulrahmon Hussain said,” on behalf of the Management and staff of Onne Port Complex (family Port), we warmly welcome our indefatigable Managing Director and his Management team to Onne Port Complex.”

He emphasized that both the Management and staff of Onne Port Complex  were happy to receive and host the MD, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho whom  he praised for his due diligence, commitment and hard work, strong passion for efficient service delivery, as well as his desire and determination to actualize the Federal Government Directive, on the Ease of Doing Business, for a more customer friendly business environment in and around the Port even as he added the MD’ visit would  have a positive impact on Onne Port Management which would lead to improved efficiency and effective service delivery to their customers.

 He however, insisted that  it  is worthy  to note that the Management policies are yielding progress in Onne Port Complex, as could be seen in the following areas suh as port infrastructure, Quay Apron, Road, Call up system, internal and external stakeholders engagement, security and corporate social responsibility among others.

The Port Manager also stated that despite, the progress recorded more needed to be done in the area of perimeter fencing of the vast swamps (creeks) and Lands, rehabilitation of Road networks at Onne, purchase of more Tug Boats, more supply of Diesel for bunkering of NPA crafts and Lubricants.

Others include, biffing up of the manpower strength and the construction of state of the art, fire service stations to fight oil fires at FOT and FLT.

He however thanked the Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho and his management team for taking their time to visit the ports even as he pledged his unwavering adherence to the policies of the MD and his team to achieve more revenue for the nation.

In the same vein, while speaking at the West African Container Terminal WACT, the General Manager, government and public Relations Mr Innocent Ogbuji, who welcomed the Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho on behalf of WACT expressed satisfaction in  his visit insisting that the cordial relationship that has existed between his organization and NPA would continue even as he expressed WACT desire  for  more investments at Onne.

Present, at the event include, top brass, of NPA management team, the Customs Area Controller, Onne customs command Area11, Port Harcourt, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede, the Commissioner of Police Eastern Ports Mr  Moshood Jimoh, various trade unions at the ports, maritime stakeholders among others.