The  Federal House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbours says the  Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Rivers Port Complex, Port Harcourt, is safe and secure for investors to do business .Chairman of the Committee,  Hon Datti Garaba Muhammad, stated this in Port Harcourt last Tuesday during an interactive session  with the management of the port at its Basket House complex.
The House Committee was in the port for a familiarisation visit and oversight function of the port and its terminal operators.
Muhammad noted that Rivers Port Complex was booming with maritime activities, thereby accruing high revenue to the Federal Government.
He said that for the past six months, there was no longer the issue of pirate attacks on sea in the port complex.
“ Rivers Port Complex is now safer for investors to do business as there is no longer attack on vessels for over six months now,” he said.
The Chairman noted that the improved security networks in the port had increased container traffic and attracted more ship owners and importers to the port.
He told the management of the port led by its Port Manager, Engr. Yunusa Ibrahim Anji, that the Federal Government was working tirelessly to revamp the port to attract more investors.
The chairman said that its oversight  functions include overseeing the NPA and the terminal operators doing business in the various ports across the nation.
He said: “We are here to oversee the port, we have visited NPA headquarters, Tin Can Island, Apapa Port, Onne Port and some terminal operators to ascertain the level of compliance”.
On lack of tugboats for the port to carry out effective operations, the committee said the Federal Government would look into the absence of such boats and approve the purchase of tugboats to enhance the port operations.
Muhammad said the committee wanted Rivers Port to  be revamped and bounce back to maritime activities as it is done in the past.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, Engr. Yunusa Ibrahim Anji, said that container traffic had improved in the port compared to 2018 port statistics.
The manager said in 2019, its traffic was 1870,379 while in 2018, its level of traffic was 1723,169.
He told the committee that since his assumption, there has been no problem of attacks on sea going vessels in the ports.
On the security, the manager said the port secured the service of the Nigerian Navy and the marine police to patrol the port waterways to curb any act of insecurity within the complex.
He mentioned lack of tugboats, pilot cutters, accommodation for the pilots and legal issue with BUA terminal operators as some of challenges at the port.

By: Chinedu Wosu