The congestion of Lagos Port leading to gridlock along Apapa Road is a major concern to port users and many Nigerians.
Concerned by port congestion, Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos State Governor, recently added strident voice for the establishment of ports in other parts of the country to decongest Lagos Port.
Youths in the Niger Delta region under the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Movement, NDYM, have called on the Federal Government to develop and open up existing seaports in the Niger Delta in order to decongest the Lagos ports and create economic boom in the region.
Against this background, such ports as Onne, Calabar and Ibom Deep Seaports, among others are underutilised and abandoned due to obnoxious government policies.
In a communique at the end of their meeting Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by Mr Joe Jackson, National President, NDYM urged President Muhammadu Buhari to expedite action in the construction of Aba-Ikot Ekpene-Itu-Odukpani Federal Highway since it has already been in the budgets of 2017 and 2018.
The group, therefore, called on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to fast track the implementation of the Water Hyacinth Project for the empowerment of the youths and also called on the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to complete the East West Road to ease transportation problems.
Commending President Buhari’s assurances on the UNEP report as regards Ogoni cleanup, NDYM urged him to compel the relevant agencies of government to commence the actual cleanup of Ogoni land and other areas affected by oil and gas exploration activities in the region.
The group called on Professor Charles Dokubo, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator of Presidential Amnesty Programme, to always host amnesty programmes in the region and not outside the region.
