The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has disclosed that the federal government would construct three new sea ports across the country. According to him no nation can celebrate efficient transportation without good sea ports.
The minister dislcosed this while delivering the 2021 Founders’ Lecture, at the University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, on the topic, ‘The Role of Transportation in Nation Building.’
Amaechi said logistics give impetus to transportation and that its absence would cripple the nation’s economy, stating that government has prioritised the sector because of its importance.
He opined that no nation can have efficient transportation system without good sea ports, revealing that FG is targeting to construct three new sea ports across the country.
Amaechi hinted that the sea ports would be located in Onne, Rivers State, Lekki in Lagos and Warri, Delta State.
The minister said: “This administration wants to do fresh sea ports, because the existing ones, even if you dredge it 100 times, give it one month, it will be filled again, so that’s why we want to do fresh ones.
“With the three new sea ports, we will move from three percent of the country’s GDP to six percent.”
He noted that by September this year, a University of Transportation would be constructed at Ubima in Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State for learning and specialization in the transportation sector.
The transportation minister further stated that the nation is borrowing to ensure that the necessary infrastructures are put in place for the masses. The nation don’t have enough money at the moment to carry out projects.
However, the Chairman of the Occasion and former Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof.S.J Cookey, decried the moribund condition of Bonny seaport.
Cookey enjoined the relevant authorities to pay serious attention by revitalizing the nation’s seaports to grow the nation’s economy.
Also, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Stephen Okodudu, said the University at 46 has come of age, adding that the choice of Amaechi (an alumnus) as the speaker was to show the world the intellectual resources deposited in the institution.
He noted that the lecture would deepen the academic culture of the University, noting that it would serve as inspiration to the students of the institution.