Association of Indigenous Importers and Exporters in Niger Delta (ALLEND) has called on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to hasten up policy formulation that would make Niger Delta ports operate effectively.

The Association, in a statement signed by its president, Mr Somiari Prince Halliday and the Secretary General, Solomon Obrikogho noted that the absence of faciltiaites to discharge RORO vessels across the Niger Delta ports has contributed to the dwindling activities as compared to the large volume of cars discharged in western ports.

According to the statement, the idea of allowing containerized cars to be discharged within the ports in Niger Delta, which is highly expensive is a misnormal, pointing out that this one of the tactics of the western cables in connivance with relevant federal authorities to cripple the economic life of the Niger Delta ports.

The body called on the president to ensure the dredging of all seaports in the Niger Delta region to allow smooth said of vessels, saying that this is one major condition cited why RORO vessels are not coming to the Niger Delta seaports. It appealed to the President to prevail on the SGS and the Nigerian Customs to stop uplifting the tariffs on goods discharged through the ports in Niger Delta.

The statement also said investigation also revealed that the Nigerian Customs deliberately uplift tariffs on the low volume of goods going through the ports inorder to meet their revenue targets and subsequently save their jobs.

This again is a ploy to make importers patronize Lagos Ports thereby dwindling the economic life of the people and the region”, the statement further said.

The Association also said the confectionaries agreement between the Federal Government and private operators in the Area 1 seaport, Port Harcourt  has totally ended the economic advantages of the seaports, pointing out that investigation had revealed that the activities of cement packaging by Dangote and Bua Companies is causing health lazards to the inhabitants of the area, most frightening that the possibility of cancer outbreak due to air  pollution with the cement dust.

It called on President Goodluck Jonathan to note that the much needed revenue from the confectionaries to improve the facilities of the Area I seaport Port Harcourt did not hold sway as facilities at the port could not be compared with others in the west.

The Federal Government should therefore cancel all concretionary agreement across the Niger Delta ports, dredge the ports and implement other suggested views earlier mentioned and allow the Niger Delta ports to operate fully as in Lagos, the statement further said.

Collins  Barasimeye