The minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has said that access roads leading to the ports in Nigeria play a pivotal role in the efficiency of the ports. To this end, he has appealed to the minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi, to assist in undertaking an urgent comprehensive repair and maintenance programme for all dilapidated roads leading to ports in the country.
According to the minister, the dilapidated access roads are making importers and exporters experience high transportation costs, prolonged transit times and heightened risk of accidents, adding that “all these issues cumulatively impede our national economic growth, discourage foreign investment, and hinder our international trade competencies.”
Oyetola, who personally delivered the message to the Works minister on Tuesday evening, during his visit to the ministry, listed 15 roads that require urgent attention.
The roads cut across Lagos Port complex, Tincan Island Port, Calabar New Port, Delta Port and Onne Port. Some of the access roads are: 1.6km dual carriage road within the Lagos Port Complex, 3km Tincan Island access road, 15.3km Eleme Junction -Trailer Park Junction Dual Carriage way at Onne Port and 3.1km FLT-FOT Roundabout Single Carriage way , also at Onne Port.
The works minister appreciated Oyetola and commended him for taking the trouble to visit his office with the request. He promised to take the matter up without any further delay as he agreed with Oyetola that the fixing of the listed access roads would increase ports efficiency and aid the country’s economic growth.
To demonstrate commitment to his pledge, the works minister immediately requested his counterpart to nominate a representative that would be meeting with one of the directors in the Ministry of Works on Wednesday to devise means of carrying out the task at hand.
