MEMPON Slams NPA Over Industry Road

The Maritime Energy
Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MEMPON), has condemned the failure of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to synergise with Rivers State Government to reconstruct the dilapidated Industry  Road of Port Harcourt Port.
The body in a statement by its President, Dr Ralph John and the Secretary General, Golden Onyenma said the non-compliance of NPA to pay their counterpart fund for the construction of the road is condemnable due to the importance of the port to the industries and companies especially the Port Harcourt Port.
The statement said the back-out by NPA in supporting the state government actualise the Port road project which had been completed and commissioned recently by the state government single-handedly had shown that Governor Wike had passion for good road network in Port Harcourt and its environs.
It disclosed that the body had set in motion  its machinery  to investigate the motive why NPA backed-out after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of paying its counterpart fund for the reconstruction of the road.
According to the statement, the development is not in the best interest of the maritime sector in the Port, as the road challenges that faced the Port users and other companies were now a thing of the past.
It would be recalled that Governor Wike while inaugurating the industry Port Road expressed dismay over the failure of NPA to pay its counterpart fund as agreed for the construction of the road, and that all efforts would be made to ensure their payment.

Collins Barasiemey