OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU
Dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
SAPELE AND WARRI SEAPORTS CAN CURB THE LAGOS GRIDLOCK
I extend my warm regards to you and hope that this letter is received in good health. Your Excellency sir, as a resident of the ancient and historical city of Sapele Local Government Area, and one who grew up in the tripod cities of Sapele, Warri and Ughelli Local Government Areas, respectively, I write to you with deep concern over the perennial gridlock usually occasioned by the huge traffic at Nigeria’s Seaports in Lagos State, and the urgent need to revamp the Seaports in Delta State.
Your Excellency sir, growing up in the ancient city of Sapele with the functional Seaport that acts as a business hub to boosts the activities of the very popular Africa Timber and Plywood Industry, (AT&P), and other commercial businesses and industrial activities in the city, I learnt that Sapele and the neighbouring Oghara depended largely on the functionality of the Seaport.
Meanwhile, between these two towns, we had over 16 industries, such as the Okpe Trading Company, Oghene Rubber Factory, D.C.C Rubber Factory, New Independent Rubber Factory, which was later named K.B Rubber Factory, F.G Spiropolus Rubber Factory, Nagro Rubber Factory, Pamol Rubber Factory, Rodco Rubber Latex, JA-Thomas Rubber Factory, J.K Rubber Factory, etal.
However, It is surprising that all these bubbling factories have been eaten up by the vultures of ineptitude, incompetence and avarice of some of our past leaders, leaving them, skeletons of their former selves. Their remains now perform epileptic business activities due to the huge costs of transporting their finished products by road, to and from Lagos Ports, for export at obviously high costs, which consequently made their end products to be uncompetitive in the international market.
It would also interest you to know that the reverse would have been the case should Sapele and Warri Ports function as commercial ports to boost the commercial and industrial activities within Sapele, Warri and their environs.
Your Excellency sir, If the Sapele and Warri seaport are re-opened and utilized, the river Niger Lokoja channel along with the Onitsha mini ports will be serviced by these ports, therefore, commercial and industrial activities within these regions will be greatly boosted, thereby providing massive employment for our teeming youths, and thus reduce the rate of crime and other social vices which are currently bedevilling us today.
Since there are a litany of seaports in the Niger Delta region which should be adequately utilized in order to save the nation from the present quagmire of the congestion of the Lagos ports, I am using this medium to call you as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to direct the Ministry of Transport to re-open the neglected Sea ports in the Niger Delta region, most especially the Sapele Sea Port, Koko Sea Port, Warri Sea Port, and Bayelsa Ports, respectively for business, in other to decongest the Lagos Ports and consequently solve the traffic gridlock, currently bedeviling the city, and causing untold hardship to Nigerian businessmen and women.
In the same vain, the government should direct importers and exporters to take their goods to the ports in the Niger Delta region to effectively reduce the huge burden on the Lagos Sea Ports.
Your Excellency sir, you will agree with me that it is an open secret that the nation is presently groaning over the congestion of the Lagos Sea Ports, which has hitherto been causing heavy traffic gridlock in the city, thereby causing untold hardship to Nigerians.
It is in this connection that the Sapele and Warri Sea Ports and other Sea Ports in the region, which have the capacity to substantially decongest the Lagos Ports, needs to be revived and adequately utilized, to save us from the present socio-economic quagmire.
While I look forward with positive anticipation of your prompt response towards revamping the seaports in Delta State, please accept the assurances of my highest regard.
A stitch in time, saves nine!
Best regards,
Yours Sincerely,
Onajite Malcolm Tagbarha, FHNR
Sapele,
Delta State,
Nigeria
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