Editorial
Appraising Public Works In Rivers State
The disclosure, penultimate week, of the completion of various public works in Rivers State by the Commissioner for Works, Mr Dakuku Peterside, presents yet another opportunity to appraise one of the most important sectors in any government.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, the commissioner said the Eleme Flyover complex and the LNG bridge on the Eastern Bye-Pass are now partially open to traffic while hundred per cent drainage had been achieved along the old Aba Road.
Also tremendous progress had been made in Tam David West Road spanning from NTA across the East-West Road to the airport on which the first 900 meters have been completed while work is now on-going on the remaining stretch of 13 kilometers.
But of even greater interest to road users in Rivers State is the fact that all major roads in Port Harcourt are being dualised to meet the ever increasing vehicular traffic in the city.
On the whole, the administration of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has awarded contracts for the construction of 560 kilometres of road in the state out of which 30 road projects are known to be completed.
These, no doubt, are monumental achievements considering the short life-span of the administration and many other competing needs for which the scarce resources need be applied.
The Tide commends the state works ministry for realising that basic infrastructure is a key driving force for economic activities in the city and for thus far demonstrating a rare sense of service and purpose in that sector.
We say so because we are aware that prior to the Amaechi government only about 400 kilometres of road were constructed by successive administrations which have been overstretched by the increasing population of city dwellers on account of rural-urban drift, population explosion, hydro-carbon related activities and indeed other multinational investments.
To say that vehicular traffic in Port Harcourt, the Rives State Capital, has for years now been a major problem, is to put mildly. This is indeed why the Rivers State government’s commitment to infrastructural development, not merely makes sense but truly development-oriented.
On the last count, various road construction works have been commissioned in virtually all the local government areas with a view to encouraging more aggressive economic activities and link the rural areas to the capital city.
However, The Tide calls on the works ministry to channel the same drive, commitment and focus towards addressing the vexed problem of excessive flooding on account of blocked drainages along some major roads during the rains. That way road users and indeed the people would appreciate the quality services being rendered in the works sector.
Happily, as an interventionist measure, government, The Tide understands, has set up an inter-ministerial committee to address the problem of drainage and flooding in the city. This body, it is explained, should consider its assignment as a big challenge because the problem of excessive flooding during the rains is one that touches motorists and pedestrians alike and more often than not plays a major role in the true assessment of successful administration’s achievements.
Thus far, The Tide believers that the works ministry has performed reasonably well to earn public confidence and support but must be told in clear terms that a lot still remains to be done.
When Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, received the Board and Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), led by its Chairman, Senator Adeyeye Adedayo Clement, his message was unmistakable: Rivers’ seaports remain underutilised, and Nigeria is poorer for it. The governor’s lament was a sad reminder of how neglect and centralisation continue to choke the nation’s economic arteries.
The governor, in his remarks at Government House, Port Harcourt, expressed concern that the twin seaports — the NPA in Port Harcourt and the Onne Seaport — have not been operating at their full potential. He underscored that seaports are vital engines of national development, pointing out that no prosperous nation thrives without efficient ports and airports. His position aligns with global realities that maritime trade remains the backbone of industrial expansion and international commerce.
Indeed, the case of Rivers State is peculiar. It hosts two major ports strategically located along the Bonny River axis, yet cargo throughput has remained dismally low compared to Lagos. According to NPA’s 2023 statistics, Lagos ports (Apapa and Tin Can Island) handled over 75 per cent of Nigeria’s container traffic, while Onne managed less than 10 per cent. Such a lopsided distribution is neither efficient nor sustainable.
Governor Fubara rightly observed that the full capacity operation of Onne Port would be transformative. The area’s vast land mass and industrial potential make it ideal for ancillary businesses — warehousing, logistics, ship repair, and manufacturing. A revitalised Onne would attract investors, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth, not only in Rivers State but across the Niger Delta.
The multiplier effect cannot be overstated. The port’s expansion would boost clearing and forwarding services, strengthen local transport networks, and revitalise the moribund manufacturing sector. It would also expand opportunities for youth employment — a pressing concern in a state where unemployment reportedly hovers around 32 per cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Yet, the challenge lies not in capacity but in policy. For years, Nigeria’s maritime economy has been suffocated by excessive centralisation. Successive governments have prioritised Lagos at the expense of other viable ports, creating a traffic nightmare and logistical bottlenecks that cost importers and exporters billions annually. The governor’s call, therefore, is a plea for fairness and pragmatism.
Making Lagos the exclusive maritime gateway is counter productive. Congestion at Tin Can Island and Apapa has become legendary — ships often wait weeks to berth, while truck queues stretch for kilometres. The result is avoidable demurrage, product delays, and business frustration. A more decentralised port system would spread economic opportunities and reduce the burden on Lagos’ overstretched infrastructure.
Importers continue to face severe difficulties clearing goods in Lagos, with bureaucratic delays and poor road networks compounding their woes. The World Bank’s Doing Business Report estimates that Nigerian ports experience average clearance times of 20 days — compared to just 5 days in neighbouring Ghana. Such inefficiency undermines competitiveness and discourages foreign investment.
Worse still, goods transported from Lagos to other regions are often lost to accidents or criminal attacks along the nation’s perilous highways. Reports from the Federal Road Safety Corps indicate that over 5,000 road crashes involving heavy-duty trucks occurred in 2023, many en route from Lagos. By contrast, activating seaports in Rivers, Warri, and Calabar would shorten cargo routes and save lives.
The economic rationale is clear: making all seaports operational will create jobs, enhance trade efficiency, and boost national revenue. It will also help diversify economic activity away from the overburdened South West, spreading prosperity more evenly across the federation.
Decentralisation is both an economic strategy and an act of national renewal. When Onne, Warri, and Calabar ports operate optimally, hinterland states benefit through increased trade and infrastructure development. The federal purse, too, gains through taxes, duties, and improved productivity.
Tin Can Island, already bursting at the seams, exemplifies the perils of over-centralisation. Ships face berthing delays, containers stack up, and port users lose valuable hours navigating chaos. The result is higher operational costs and lower competitiveness. Allowing states like Rivers to fully harness their maritime assets would reverse this trend.
Compelling all importers to use Lagos ports is an anachronistic policy that stifles innovation and local enterprise. Nigeria cannot achieve its industrial ambitions by chaining its logistics system to one congested city. The path to prosperity lies in empowering every state to develop and utilise its natural advantages — and for Rivers, that means functional seaports.
Fubara’s call should not go unheeded. The Federal Government must embrace decentralisation as a strategic necessity for national growth. Making Rivers’ seaports work is not just about reviving dormant infrastructure; it is about unlocking the full maritime potential of a nation yearning for balance, productivity, and shared prosperity.
