A Niger Delta activist and Ijaw opinion leader, Clarkson Aribogha, has called on the Federal Government to put an end to the underutilisation of South-South seaports in the country.
He lamented that Lagos Port is given higher preference over other seaports in the country such as Calabar, Warri, Burutu, Sapele and Koko ports in the South-South and this situation has snowballed those ports into dormancy.
Speaking to journalists in Warri, Aribogha accused the Federal Government of tactical delay in dredging the Escravos Bar in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state,
He urged the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to meet President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently release funds for the purpose.
“Government should know that Escravos Bar is just the entering point, but Warri Port is the main thing. We want the dredging to begin from the Escravos Bar down to Warri Port so that vessels can be coming to Warri.
“We also want the Federal Government to know that dredging of Escravos Bar will assist in no small measure to bring in more revenue to the government.
“Unfortunately, it is Lagos Port that all vessels go to for a long time now, whereas there are other ports such as Calabar, Burutu, Sapele and Koko Ports that are dormant. Presently Lagos port is congested,” he said.
