The National Shippers Association of Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to build more deep seaports in the country in other to decongest the ports in Lagos.
The President General of NSAN, Dr Innocent Akuvue, made this appeal in a chat with The PUNCH in Lagos recently.
Akuvue linked the dependence on Lagos Port for vehicle importation on the lack of roll-on-roll-off facilities in other ports within the country.
“This is a very large country; the issue is not the deep seaports. Since we have so many ports, has it helped us? The answer is no. If we have fewer ports, it would be worse.
“In fact, we should have more ports. Have you asked yourself why vehicles are only coming into Lagos? It is because we don’t have a port anywhere in the country that has the facilities of a roll-on-roll-off,” he stated.
According to the shipper, bringing vehicles to ports where there are fewer activities would create more problems for the importers.
“And because people know that where you have fewer activities, bringing in the vehicle there would create more problems for the owners because every customs officer is on it. So, everybody brings in their vehicles to Lagos.
“So, the more ports we have the better if they are efficient anyway. But you know Lekki is about the first thorough seaport we have known,” Akuvue concluded.
