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The president of African Federation of Freight Forwarders (AFOFF), Chief Lexzy Nwangwu has decried that Nigeria’s status as the hub of maritime activities in West Africa was threatened by the emergence of deep sea ports in Cameroon and Ghana.
Chief Lexzy lamented that most of Nigerian bound cargoes are already being diverted to ports in Benin, Ghana and other neighbouring ports in the sub region due to the high tariffs and illegal charges obtainable in Nigeria.
Chief Lexzy stated this during an exclusive chat with MMS Plus, he also admonished the Director General at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside to seek advice from maritime veterans especially those with the interest of the nation at heart rather than surround himself with sycophants.
“The new DG NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside should quickly surround himself with veterans who have the interest of the maritime industry and the nation at heart if he really wants to make Nigeria the hub of maritime activities in the West and Central African region” he said.
The freight forwarding veteran noted that Cameroon had just completed a deep sea port and he stressed that more cargo traffic will be moved to the Cameroonian shores as a result odf the deep sea port.
He also queried the delay in completing the dredging of the Calabar port and the Lekki deep sea port which would have put Nigeria in an advantageous position with regards to maritime activities in the region.
“Cameroon has just completed a deep sea port and you don’t expect them to leave it fallow. They will do all they can to ensure they attract cargo traffic and reap the financial benefits of having the port.
“Lekki deep sea port project started before this Cameroonian port but the Lekki port is still under construction while the dredging of Calabar port has consumed billions of naira with nothing to show for it” he lamented.
By Kenneth Jukpor
