An economist and a social activist, Kelvin Emmanuel has critiised the delay in the rehabilitation of the Onne, Warri and Calbar ports in the Easterm Maritime corridor.
The economist said it is a deliberate attempt by “Lagos establishment” to frustrate other ports in order to keep traffic in Lagos.
He made the comment in a bid to persuade the federal government to decentralise port operations to the Eastern Maritime Corridor.
Last year, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) earmarked the sum of $1bn for the reconstruction of Tincan Island, Apapa, Rivers, Onne, and Calabar port complexes.
However, there are growing concerns regarding the delay in the rehabilitation of the ports in Port Harcourt, Warri, Delta State and Calabar.
Currently, only the Apapa Port, Tincan Island and the Lekki Deep Sea Port based in Lagos are functional out of the six ports.
Emmanuel expressed displeasure on the negligence of other ports in the country with attention in Lagos.
The economist said, “How can Lagos have three functioning seaports with a fourth one in the works, and every other place is languishing?
“How do you build an economy when everything is centered around Lagos? Is it because the Lagos establishment is afraid that if there’s an operational seaport in the Eastern Maritime Flank, which graphically is better for maritime operations?”
The economist explained that paying attention to the Eastern ports will result to lower traffic for the Lagos-based ports.
He said, “You’re going to have a diversion of port operations from the South East, the South South, the North East, to Akwa Ibom.
“Is it because they’re afraid of revenue losses? It doesn’t make any sense. We have to say the truth to power.”
He lamented that the costs incurred by business in moving cargoes from Lagos to the East will be factored by the importers, adding that it would lead to higher inflation.
Emmanuel said, “Somebody imports a 40-foot container from Guazu to Lagos, and it will cost him N5m or N6m and import it to Aba and you don’t expect that he’s going to pass on that inflation cost to the people, considering the fact that we don’t have standard guerrilla lines that extend horizontally from the southwest to the southeast.
“It’s marginalisation, economic marginalisation. And we have to speak to the power.”