Illegal dredging, piracy hampering Rivers Port operations – Manager

Anna Okon

The Port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, Abubakar Umar, has said that operations at the port are hampered by illegal dredging, hijacking and piracy, among other forms of insecurity.

He reportedly said this during an inspection tour of the facilities of the Nigerian Ports Authority in Rivers State by the Acting Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Chidi Izuwah.

“We have so many challenges facing us on a daily basis, which have to do with the security of our staff, hijacking of vessels, dredging of the port, piracy and many more,” he said.

Umar however said that there had been an improvement in services and activities at the port since 2016, saying, “The port has been busier with cargoes coming in since 2016 than we used to have. More containers and cargo now come in through this port.”

Izuwah attributed the efficiency recorded at the nation’s ports to their concession as well as other reforms by the Federal Government.

The aim of the inspection, according to him, is to ensure that the mandate of the ICRC with the public private partnership is complied with and to ensure competent execution of all Public-Private Partnership contracts.

He said this was in line with the terms and conditions of such contracts.

“We are here to know if the regulatory policies put in place by the Federal Government are working or not. We want to know issues or challenges leading to the ‘no work’,” he said.

Izuwah stressed the need for better security, saying that without security on the waterways and land, the set goals of government would not be achieved.

“Investors can only go to cities or countries where their businesses will thrive, not where they are afraid of their lives and properties,” he added.

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