Warning Letter to Lagosians!

The multi-billionaire naira  Onitsha Cargo  Inland  Port  in Anambra State will be ready for concession within two weeks, authorities have said.

General Manager of the  Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mike Dike, made the revelation of the weekend during the visit of the National Good Governance Team to the port.

The port is yet to commence operation nearly five months after it was commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said the port would function alongside other ports under construction, including the  ongoing Oguta  sea inland port in Imo State and Baro port in Niger State to free Nigerian roads of cargo carriage.

He also said the resuscitation of rail transport in the country would also complement the river ports.

Dike, however, stated  that the port was ready to be concessioned to the private sector, and that advertisement for concession would be placed within two weeks.

He added that NIWA was awaiting a go ahead from the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

He said the N4.6 billion  cargo ports which has  3,000 containers warehouse capacity of 40 tonnes each was awarded in 2010 and completed in 2012 as against the 2011 expected date of completion.

Meanwhile, there were apprehensions amongst port users that only smaller ships will be able to pass under the famous River Niger bridge connecting Onitsha to Asaba which is a nexus to the port from Calabar axis except further dredging is performed.

Dike said all the equipment needed for the commencement of operation was available, stating that dredging was an exercise that would continue even after commencement of operation.

It is unclear whether further dredging is likely to affect the foundation of the bridge which is the major access road to the South-eastern part of the country.



 Meanwhile this may sound funny but its true that when the port in Onitsha open it may affect Lagos state government revenue income & taxes which from now they may start treating the importers as their best friends than treating them as ethnic base sentiment especially that of Igbo importers
Reply

Posted: at 3-02-2013 08:32 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

It may not affect Lagos

Posted: at 3-02-2013 09:12 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

...You SENSELESS man!, put things in-order first before alarting some unnecessary comments now like Late Commander Gideon Okah!!!!!!!.

Posted: at 3-02-2013 11:29 PM (12 years ago) | Upcoming

Mr Socket 123, from what i see, onitsha port is just a jetty terminal compared to Tin can, Apapa and other ports in Lagos and also incomparable to ports in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Calabar. This port is just another terminal for inland transportation of containers from Lagos and other ports. remember onitsha doesn't have boundry with the ocean thru which these large vessels arrive Nigeria and no matter how u dredge the river niger, the vessels must first land and berth in Lagos before they move from there to the delta region of the river niger before it can land in onitsha. for now its just an alternative to road transportation of containers not a major cargo port as already mentioned above. so go find plug to socket for your bum hole since u be public socket!

Posted: at 4-02-2013 02:30 PM (12 years ago) | Newbie