Environmentalist Urges FG To Revive Inactive Port

The National Secretary, of the National Environmental Society (NES) Mr Paul Akporowho, has called on the Federal Government to rehabilitate inactive ports across the country to boost national revenue.

Mr Akporowho on Tuesday made the call in Warri, while speaking with newsmen on the state of the nation’s ports.

He stressed that if the government could rehabilitate ports like Delta, Calabar and Onne ports, among others, it would particularly facilitate efforts to decongest the Apapa seaport.

He noted that the Apapa port had been overwhelmed by heavy commercial activities, which had consequently affected the state of the roads in the neighborhood.

“For instance, the number of accidents on the Apapa road is enormous; a lot of tankers and trucks often tumble because the roads are bad and over-used.

“This is not good for our economy as a nation; so there is a need for the government to reactivate other seaports in the country in order to decongest the Apapa port.

“For instance, the Delta port was a beehive of activities when it was active; it created a lot of direct and indirect jobs.

“The port also played a major role in the work of Julius Berger Nig. Plc. and other companies when they were constructing the Delta Steel complex in Aladja, near Warri.

“All their importations were done through the Delta port.

“Today the Delta port is like a graveyard; there are no activities there and bigger vessels cannot navigate through because the channels have not been dredged in a long time; the same is applicable to some other ports,” he said.

Akporowho, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the Delta chapter of Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), said that the revival of the Delta port would help to create more jobs and address youth restiveness in the area.