Sports
NPA’s Executive Director Seeks Investments In Maritime Sector
The Executive Director, Maritime and Operations of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Sokonte Davies has urged investors to take advantage of numerous opportunities in the maritime and transportation industry and invest in the sector.
He also urged the general public, especially investors to invest more in the agricultural sector, pointing out that the aboundant agricultural poentials have not been tapped, and that it is the sector where a lot of employment opportunities can be provided for the unemployed youths.
Davies who disclosed this to airport correspondents at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa on his arrival from Abuja, said that investment in the transportation sector like railway, maritime and airports are key to Nigeria’s development.
According to him, the transportation sector will facilitate the movement of processed agricultural goods which will guarantee export and increase the gross domestic product.
He said the agreement between the Federal Government, the NLNG and Julius Berger Plc for the development of the Bonny seaport is a private sector-driven investment, adding that the Bonny port would also attract tourism business.
“We should look at the processing of agricultural produce. We need to harness this agricultural processing to tackle challenges of the economy.
“Places like Benue and Plateau States can be areas to shore up the processing, and unemployment issues can be tackled through agricultural processing.
“These processed goods will also need to be transported through various modes so as to get to their various market destinations.
“People have come to develop our port and let investors take advantage of the policy of the Federal Government to invest more in the maritime industry.
“Nigeria had lost over 80 per cent of its revenue, as oil price fell from over $100 to about $40 and there is need to diversify investment.
“We should look at the agricultural sector and solid mineral. They are undeveloped sectors and we should look at the processing, as we talk about transportation of these processed goods,” Davies said.
Corlins Walter
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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