Make Lekki Port A Trans-Shipment Hub, SOAN Tells FG

Indigenous shipowners under the aegis of the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) has urged the Federal Government to designate Lekki port solely for Trans-Shipment business.

Speaking with kadecommunicationng in Lagos, President of SOAN, Dr MKGeorge Onyung explained that running Lekki port like a regular port will mess up the whole of Lekki and it’s environs.

According to the SOAN President, “When Lekki port becomes operational later in the year, I foresee a distortion to the traffic flow around Lekki and it’s environs.

“Ordinarily, Lekki Port ought to have been designed as a Trans-Shipment Hub where bigger vessels come in with very large cargoes, and smaller vessels come and take these cargoes to places like Apapa, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Delta and Tin-Can ports in smaller bits.

“This is the only way government can preserve the sanctity of Lekki and it’s environs. This is the only way there won’t be a distortion to the free flow of traffic in and around Lekki area.

“But with the way government is going about the Lekki port, I see a transfer of the problems of Apapa to Lekki area. The traffic gridlock that has become accustomed to Apapa dwellers and workers will only be transferred to Lekki if government makes it a regular port where cargoes will come in and clearing agents will be jostling about and crowding around the ports to clear those cargoes, just.like we have in Apapa and Tin-Can ports.

“The best thing that will happen to Lekki and it’s environs is if government makes the Lekki port solely a Trans-Shipment Hub, and not a regular port.”