The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says no fewer than 200 vessels now berth in the Warri Ports, Delta State.
This was disclosed in a statement by NPA shortly after the tour of the Warri Port by NPA Board of Directors who were at the port to have an assessment of the port’s facilities.
Speaking during the tour, the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the development had boosted economic activities in Warri.
Usman attributed the feat to President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to the dredging of the Escravos channel.
The NPA boss said the Federal Government was committed to improving economic activities in all the nation’s ports, adding that more dredging was being carried out to accommodate bigger vessels at the Warri Port.
“Only the regime of President Buhari has embarked on the dredging of the Warri Port,” Usman said.
She appealed to stakeholders including host communities to continue to maintain the existing peace in the area.
Earlier, Chairman, NPA Board of Directors, Emmanuel Adesoye, had said that he noted great improvement in the port’s facilities compared to what he observed in 2016 when he visited the port.
According to him, the purpose of the visit was to have on-the-spot assessment of the progress made by the port since November 2016.
“The current challenge is about the issue of dredging the channels in the port, particularly the terminals.
“We are already taking action concerning it. So, there is no problem. No time frame, but we are on it,” Adesoye said.
He also expressed satisfaction with the improved security situation in the waterways, which according to him, had led to more vessels berthing at the port.
“The number of ships has increased significantly and revenue has gone up.
“That is what happens when there is unity among stakeholders, management and the communities,” he said.
However, the stakeholders, in their presentations, called for more security to enable them meet the global practice of 24 hours shipping activities as against the current 6a.m. to 6p.m. system.