Government begins five-billion-naira ports project

Nigeria’s government has started work on two major projects in the south, a five-billion-naira (US $40.98 million) dry port in Ngwa, Abia State and an inland port on Oguta Lake, Imo state.

‘This Day’, a Lagos newspaper, reported on Sunday that 300 million naira ($2.46 million) of this had been allocated in the 2001 budget to begin preliminary work at the Oguta Inland port.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa, the Federal Minister of Transport, Ojo Maduekwe, said that when completed, the ports would link all the five southeastern states.

“I am here to pledge that the Federal Government is determined to speedily enhance development of the zone because we are now ready to deliver the material dividends of democracy,” Maduekwe said. “We believe that by so doing the southeast will be opened up to boost tourism development and provide employment opportunities”, he said.

Udenwa said Imo State had been trying, over the past 20 years, to get the Federal government to build the port. The southeastern states, which produce much of Nigeria’s oil wealth, have been vocal recently about the lack of development of their areas.