The former President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Anthony Nte Emmanuel has called on the Federal Government to without further delay, pay adequate attention to decaying infrastructure at the seaports across the country.
He said that what was happening and the situation at the ports “is a sad story with respect to infrastructural decay and security,” pointing out that these have hampered business activities at the ports.
Emmanuel, former NLC vice president, who disclosed this in an interview with aviation correspondents at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa noted that road infrastructure and disturbing security matters were almost crippling business at the nation’s ports.
According to him, the disturbing security situation at the South-South ports has scared away investors, adding that the situation is seriously telling on businesses.
Also in Lagos area, he said that the degenerated road network, especially in the Apapa Port called for concern, adding that the bad road has caused untold hardship for those that do business in the area, especially as it concern loss of manhour.
“There is global economic recession, people are being retrenched and jobs are lost. People need to think and create jobs and value.
“The ports are dying, even now that we are talking about alternative sources of revenue outside oil, the ports are the areas where such revenue would come from.
“Government should create an enabling environment for business to thrive. They should make and execute good policies that will drive business and you know that government policies also affect the economic situation of the country.
“The situation in the Maritime sector is very annoying. The Minister of Works should wake up to his responsibility and fix the road network for smooth business.
“All my meetings with the Minister of Works when I was the President-General of MWUN did not yield any result as the road network to the ports were left undone.
“Government should think and execute projects that will impact positively on business, but not to pay deaf ears to issues that are very important to national economy, like the fixing of the road to POAS, especially the Apapa Port, where business activities are almost collapsing,” he stated.
The former Maritime workers boss, however, pointed out that people could only be remembered for what they have done and urged Nigerians to always do good to the people, especially, those in authority.

Corlins Walter