Powerful Pen: Maritime Stakeholders Brainstorm On Effects Of Apapa Gridlock On Nigeria Economy
LAGOS JANUARY 16TH (NEWSRANGERS)- Maritime Stakeholders on Thursday brainstorm on the effect of Apapa gridlock on the economy of Nigeria. The event took place on Thursday at Apapa, Lagos during a special congress organized by the Powerful Pen Media Chapel, owned by Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN), under the leadership of Comrade Ray Ugochukwu, as the President.
Respected Maritime stakeholders which presented lecture at the event were the Chairman, TinCan Port Chapter, National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents, Alhaji Isa Kazeem, The National Secretary, National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents, Mr. H. Okwuosa, The Chairman of Bonntex Nigeria limited and long standing member of ANLCA, Mr Boniface Okoye and top official of National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alhaji Inua Abdullahi and Dr Emeka Enebili among others.
Speaking on the theme, “Apapa Traffic and Skyrocketing Inflation in the Country; Effects on Port Operations and the Maritime Industry” , the distinguished Maritime stakeholders deliberated on how Apapa traffic gridlock is aiding inflation in the country, and the way forward.
A communiqué signed by the Power Pen Special Congress Organising Members made of Sylvanus Ekpo, Silas Onuoha and Udeme Clement disclosed that, “Vital issues raised by stakeholders at the Congress include the following: Traffic gridlock contributes 35 percent to why Nigerian port is the most expensive within West African sub-region, Apapa and TinCan Ports are the two most vibrant ports in Nigeria, but lacks adequate maintenance of access roads, That government has allowed a cabal to hijack maritime business in Nigeria, to the detriment of the entire economy, that the perennial traffic gridlock on Apapa ports access roads is induced by Powerful mafia in the system, that barge operators are also owners of the terminals, making it difficult to regulate the sector and insincerity on the part of regulators poses a big challenge.
The stakeholders consequently recommended that, “ the Federal Government should open up Eastern Ports, in order to ease the pressure on Apapa ports, the amanagement of Nigeria Ports Authority must wake up to its responsibility of managing the port access roads, barge operators should be encouraged to decongest the ports, traffic managers creating artificial toll-gates to collect huge sums into private pockets must be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others, terminal operators/Shipping companies not providing holding bays must be sanctioned accordingly and individuals constituting nuisance, who have no business on the ports access roads must be forced to leave the terrain.”
MAJAN President, Mr Ray Ugochukwu in his remarks said Powerful Pen Media Chapel, as an affiliate of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Chapter, will always live up to expectations by constantly informing the public on activities in the maritime industry.
In conclusion, he thanked all the stakeholders who attended the Congress, despite their busy schedule, including the National President of ANLCA, Hon. Tony Iju Nwabunike, who gave the chapel support, to make the Congress a huge success.
On the whole, all invited Guests and MAJAN members departed with the current copies of Powerful Pen Newspaper.
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Posted by News Rangers
on Jan 16 2021. Filed under Business, National.
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