By Anthony Nwachukwu
To enhance the ease of doing business at the Onne Port, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Tuesday commissioned a 4.8km Road “D” and inaugurated six mooring boats at the Onne Complex in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Commissioning the road infrastructure, which was constructed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), as well as the mooring boats, Oyetola highlighted the ministry’s commitment to leveraging Nigeria’s maritime resources to enhance the economy.
According to him, they were further “testaments to the commitment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under my watch to maximise the entire gamut of opportunities conferred on us by our maritime endowments.”
Oyetola reiterated the ministry’s commitment to supporting the NPA in addressing factors hindering the full utilisation of national port asset.
He stated: “Deepening the efficiencies and full capacity utilisation of the strategic advantages of Onne and other port complexes in the eastern axis constitutes one of the tools we are deploying in actualising the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) assigned to us under the Presidential Performance Bond.
“We are now poised more than ever before to give the NPA all the backing necessary to address all factors responsible for the underutilisation of these national assets.”
Acknowledging the growth in exports from the Onne Port Complex, the minister expressed readiness to facilitate further expansion and advocacy efforts to attract more vessel traffic to the region.
He further underscored the significance of continued investment in port infrastructure, stating that the ministry would ensure that the ports compete favourably with others within and outside the African region, as Nigeria is determined “to harness its maritime potential for sustainable economic growth.”
Earlier, the NPA Managing Director, Mohammed Bello-Koko, commended Oyetola for his uncommon support, which propelled the completion of the multiple projects being commissioned. He explained that “the Phase 4B houses a significant portion of the untapped potentials of the Onne Port Complex.
“Thus the completion of the Road “D”, which the major arterial links to the new Berths 9, 10, 11 & 12 at Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) and vast expanse of reclaimed land already leased for port development, is actually a link to growth in new business opportunities and increased revenue for the national economy.”
