The Federal Government has completed the rehabilitation work on the failed portions of Tincan Port access roads.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola said rehabilitation project was completed two months after he reached out to the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi over the need to fix the failed portions of ports access roads.
Oyetola, who disclosed this on Wednesday evening, while debriefing members of his technical team, expressed optimism that access roads to other ports in the country would be fixed soon.
The Minister in December, 2023 wrote his works counterpart to assist in fixing the access roads leading to the seaports in the country as part of measures to not only resolve the gridlock on that corridor but to increase ports efficiency and aid the country’s economic growth.
In response to the Minister’s appeal, Umahi In a letter dated February 14, 2024 titled: “Re: Urgent Request for Rehabilitation of the Federal Access Roads to Key Ports,” noted that “the access road to Tincan Port, Lagos has been successfully completed.”
He also noted that, “the ministry has awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of the access road to Lagos Port Complex in Lagos State,” adding that the contractor would soon mobilise to site.
On the access road to Onne Port in Rivers State, the Works Minister noted that the contract for the reconstruction of the road was already being processed and that it would soon be awarded, saying, “the Federal Ministry of Works also understands the socio-economic importance of these roads leading to the ports in Nigeria and that necessitated the proactive steps we took.”
In a statement on Wednesday by spokesperson to the Minister, Ismail Omipidan, Oyetola commended the proactive measures taken by the Works Minister and expressed gratitude for his contribution to improving the Ease of Doing Business at the country’s ports.
He noted that once they are done fixing the dilapidated port access roads, importers and exporters would no longer experience high transportation costs, prolonged transit times, and heightened risk of accidents.
“Our foreign investment will increase, and our international trade competencies will also be enhanced,” the statement added.
