…Urges FG to accelerate repair of Onne Port access road, inaugurates Onne chapter Exco
FRANK ODINUKAEZE
RIVERS, Nigeria – The African Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), has urged the Federal Government to expedite action towards the rehabilitation of the Onne Port access road, which it described as an eyesore.
National President of the Association, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, made this call during the inauguration of the Onne Chapter Executive of the Association penultimate Thursday, in Port Harcourt.
“We are using this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government to accelerate the repair of the road leading into the port.
“This is an eyesore and and an impediment to ease of doing business, not only to the port users, but also to the farmers and people living in the community,” Ogunojemite noted.
Speaking in an interview with the Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN), the APFFLON President, noted that there is need to monitor the contractor handling the rehabilitation of the road, so as to fast track the process.
He said in order not to impede the movement of goods and people, during the period of rehabilitation, there is need to provide an alternative road to ameliorate the inconveniences both port users and the community would experience during this period.
“So we are asking the government to fast track the construction of the road,and also monitor the contractors,and provide an alternative link road, not only for the port users, but also the host community, particularly the farmers,” Ogunojemite stated.
He noted that the road is very important as it serves as transit path to Uyo and other areas and most importantly, it is the access road through which farmers move out their produce.
The APFFLON President noted that they used the opportunity of the inauguration of the Onne chapter Exco to pay a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Onne Port Commad, ACG B.Immam, adding that they had a robust discussion particularly on trade facilitator, revenue and export trade.
Asked about his assessment of the activities of Onne Port, Ogunojemite said, “One of the impediments we have there is the deplorable state of infrastructure, more importantly the access road, which is in a very bad shape.”
He, however, gave a pass mark to the activities in the port, which he said are “impressive”.
He said the current unstable state of the naira is killing businesses and causing untold hardship to Nigerians.
His words, “The per capital income of the people has no value anymore.”
Despite all these, Ogunojemite noted that the Onne Port is actually living up to expectation, even though the port has only one scanner.
“Government should provide more scanners in the port,” he advised.
He noted that Customs service delivery in the port is impressive, and added that what is lacking in the port is infrastructure.
“The thing that is lacking in Onne Port is infrastructure. If a truck breaks down, it is difficult to remove it, and this affects the time goods are moved from the port to the town,” Ogunojemite said.
