The recent decommissioning of BUA Ports and Terminal, Port Harcourt, Rivers State by the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) is threatening the take-off of $400 million project and negating the federal government’s policy of ease of doing business and efforts to attract investments to the country.
The General Manager, BUA Ports & Terminals Limited, Mr. Mohammed Lile Ibrahim, stated this, insisting that the action by the government agency was not only undermining concession agreements and internationally acceptable judicial/dispute resolution procedures but also contradicts federal government’s claims of creating conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
Ibrahim said while BUA had been fulfilling its part of the lease obligations, NPA had failed to do the same.
“While NPA’s action has affected some jobs and activities of our customers who use the jetty, what Nigerians should know and must not allow to happen is the loss of more jobs and the stoppage of $400 million sugar and pasta factories project.
“That project, which has already provided employment for over 1,000 works, is meant to be commissioned at the end of this month. But the shutdown of the port terminal is threatening the take-off of this particular project. “As I talk to you now, dockworkers have not been earning income since the port was shut, government is losing revenue as the charges we ought to pay for cargos handled through the port have stopped and our customers who use the jetty to bring products are also affected and their businesses are suffering,” he told newsmen.
The GM lamented that the wheat meant for the commencement of the pasta factory was already in the sea and the truck to bring the material to the factory is already at the jetty but there is no place for the ships to berth and discharge the cargo due to NPA’s action.