Port: Nigeria loses N600bn monthly to gridlock- Committee Chairman

 The Federal Government says it has concluded plan to engage relevant stakeholders to address the persistent traffic gridlock at the nation’s ports.

 The Nigerian Army has said that no fewer than 1,500 people had benefited from its free medical outreach; exercise crocodile smile IV in Kiribo community, Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Uber, Bolt, others not banned at airports – FAAN

The exercise crocodile smile IV is designed to be inter-agency and inter-service driven, which include NPF, DSS, NSCDC, Customs, Immigration, NDLEA, Correctional Service and the Vigilante.

They are to work harmoniously as a team to ensure peace and security in the southern part of Ondo State.

Brig-. Gen. Zakari Abubakar, the Commander of 32 Artillery Brigade, made this disclosure while speaking with newsmen during the exercise at the community market square on Thursday.

Abubakar, who said that the gesture was part of the civil military relations of the ongoing exercise crocodile smile IV in the southern part of the state, said it would also cement the relationship between the Nigerian Army and the community.

He explained that the medical services delivered included, general consultation, general eye examination, health education, oral care, laboratory investigations, issuance of free mosquito nets and drugs.

Abubakar, who thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Ibadan, Maj-. Gen. Anthony Omozoje for their exemplary leadership for finding the Brigade worthy of hosting the exercise.

The General also thanked them for approving the civil military activities, even as he charged the community to embrace peace and shun violence in return to reciprocate the gesture.

“Nothing goes for nothing and there is no free lunch anywhere, so as we have decided to reach out to the people today, we need you to embrace peace because with peace, people will rest and we will also rest,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Army distributed toothpaste, tooth brushes and rice for the beneficiaries in the community to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.

Also, since the exercise began on Nov. 8, sheduled to last till Dec. 23, the Nigerian Army had donated some computers and printers, exercise books, generators, stationary and sporting materials to schools at Atijere community.

The Nigerian Army also provided free outreach to people of Ugbo community, all in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

It has also carried out sanitation exercise by clearing garbages and refuse at Irele community market as well as the renovation of four market toilets and boreholes in the Irele Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Omolewa Ojo, the Chairman, Ese-Odo Local Government Area, who lauded the gesture, appreciated the Army for giving out free medical services and rice to the people to celebrate Christmas and the New year.

‘This is a laudable project. I give kudos to the Chief of Army Staff for that. This is the first of its kind because it has never happened since 1960 since Nigeria got independence,” he said.

Ojo, who noted Ese-Odo, as a place where security challenges had become serious and where people felt that they could do anything for a living, said that with the intervention of the Nigerian Army, that would come to pass.

He, therefore, pledged the maximum support and cooperation of the people with the Nigerian Army to enable it enjoin a robust relationship and peace while in the state.

Similarly, Oba Johnson Ajayi, the Alapaka of Kiribo Kingdom, appreciated the Nigerian Army’s gesture and called on it to continue with this kind of programme in the future.

According to Ajayi, the free medical outreach will go a long way in addressing the health challenges of people and help those who cannot afford hospital bills, especially the elderly persons in the community.

Two of the beneficiaries, Mrs Module Ogundowo and Mr Olatunde Tolo, an 80- year-old man, who had a visual problem, appreciated the Nigerian Army for the assistance so far rendered in the community. (NAN)

Rep. Victor Akinjo, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, made this known on Thursday during the committee’s tour of facility at the Ocean and Cargo Terminal in Warri.

Akinjo said that the gridlock cost Nigeria about N600 billion monthly which he said was a huge lost.

“When we interface with importers and exporters in Lagos, we discovered that the traffic gridlock is costing Nigeria N600 billion monthly.

“We took it up on Wednesday at the level of the parliament; we want to engage all stakeholders to see what can be done urgently,” he said.

The committee chairman said the purpose of the visit was to interface with the maritime operators and regulators.

“Port is the gateway to any economy in the world. You cannot carry tonnage of goods through the air, it must come through the water.

“The only way to achieve this is to ensure that our ports are efficient and effective.

“The essence of the visit is to interface with the operators and regulators and take on issues I called “privatisation laboratory” and find ways to solving the issues,” he said.

Akinjo commended the management of Ocean and Cargo Terminal, urging them to aggressively pursue delivery on its obligations as contained in the agreement.

“The committee under the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, in concurrent with our legislative agenda, are very concerned that there must be fairness, justices and financial equity in things we do.

“We will not allow your investment to go down the drain nor allow the regulators to over task you. But more importantly to allow Nigerians to benefit from every transaction,” he said.

Responding, Mr Olatunji Olusinde, the Executive Director (Legal Unit)/Secretary, Ocean and Cargo Terminal, said that the company would create about 300 direct jobs when it comes on stream.

Olusinde said that skeletal operations would commence in January 2020.

He appealed to the Federal Government to fast track the dredging of the Escravos water channels to allow navigation of bigger vessels.

“The real port terminal operations cannot commence until the channel is dredged.

“Only lighter vessels and barges can come in now and those are not commercially viable for terminal operators.

“So, we are appealing to the government to hasting action on the dredging of the channel.

“This port is strategic, a gateway to the East, North and the Middle belt. Beside, it will ease the burden of congestion the we are witnessing in Lagos,” he said.

In his remarks, the Delta Port Manager, Mr Okeke Okeke, said that the port would create a multiplier effect when it runs optimally.

“Majority of the importers in Nigeria are from the North, Middle Belt and Eastern parts which is out of catchment areas.

“They said that if the port runs optimally, they will divert their attention to this port because of proximity and other reasons,” he said.

Okeke, however, said that the port was in synergy with the Nigeria Navy and the host community to ensure adequate security.

(NAN)