The Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA) has called on the Rivers State governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi to pay attention to business activities going on in Port Harcourt port.
Speaking in an interview with The Tide, the chairman of Port Harcourt 1 Seaport chapter of the association, Chief Obi Chima said the port has potentials to generate substantial revenue for the state, but regretted that the state government have not paid adequate attention to what is happening at the port.
According to the ANLCA chairman, past administrations in Rivers State have not really given attention to activities and business at the Port Harcourt Port, pointing out that Rivers State as the host community have several areas that will generate revenue, if properly harnessed.
Chief Chima pointed out that some state governors like that of Cross River and Delta States pay good attention to what goes on at the various ports in their domains, stressing that if the same thing happens in Rivers State, that it will go along way to checkmate some things as well as boast the revenue of the state.
He described Port Harcourt Port as the premier port of the eastern region, which has enabled importers and maritime operators have ease in their business, but regretted what the port has turned to be as at moment.
ANLCA expressed dissatisfaction over the present condition of the industry road that connect the Premier Port to the rest of the world, pointing out that it has slowed down the traffic flow and movement of goods in and out of the port, and called on the authorities concerned to do something fast to put the road in order.
According to him “what Apapa port is to the west, is what the Port Harcourt Port is to the whole of the eastern region comprising of the South-South and the South-Eastern States”.
He said the international Maritime Organisation (IMO) does not permit the discharge of cement along side with edible goods, but wondered why such should be the practice in Port Harcourt Port; and called on the relevant authority to create sanity at the port by creating a separate channel for cement discharge.
Chima opined that if the state government should beam its searchlight to Port Harcourt port activities, and make its own input as required, he said more revenue that will accrue to the state as internally generated revenue, will be very much surprising.

Colins Walter