Wike Accuses FG, NPA Of Neglecting Rivers Ports

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has accused the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) of reneging on its promise to dredge the Bonny channels to allow bigger vessels access the two seaports in the state.
The state hosts two major seaports in the country namely, the Rivers Port Complex located in the heart of Port Harcourt and the Onne Port, located at the Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne Community.
Both ports are owned by the Federal Government.
Governor Wike made the accusation on Tuesday during the maiden delivery of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to downstream investor, Stockgap Terminal by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) in Bonny.
The governor said; “What is the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) doing? Rivers government should now be the one to dredge the channels and NPA is busy collecting levies and revenues from marine operators.
“Why should that be? You don’t expect me to dredge waterways for NPA to be collecting all the money.”
Wike also accused the Federal Government of building a new port in Lagos while rendering the ports in Rivers State idle and grounded with no development and attention.
“You are building a new port in Lagos, but those in Rivers you rendered idle, grounded with no development attention”, he said.
He appealed to the Federal Government “to forgive Rivers State people” for any wrong doing to warrant neglect by the central authority.
“Even if Rivers has done anything wrong, please we are begging; forgive us. But I don’t think we have done anything wrong as Rivers people. Rivers is the better place to invest”, he said.
The governor promised that the state government would continue to support every investment brought to the state by providing enabling environment to make it thrive.
He noted that key investors were embracing the confidence to invest in the state, but alleged that some people were de- marketing the state.
“We continue to support every investment brought here and the gratitude we get is that key investors are embracing our confidence to invest here, while some people are de-marketing the state,” he said.

Chinedu Wosu