The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has described the claims of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, that the federal government is neglecting ports outside Lagos as incorrect and misleading.
Naijaonpoint reports that Peter Obi recently criticised the Federal Government’s approval of US$1 billion for the modernisation of the Apapa and TinCan Island seaports in Lagos.
The former Governor of Anambra State urged the Federal Government to extend port development to other parts of the country.
In a post on his 𝕏 handle, Peter Obi condemned the excessive investment in Lagos’s infrastructure.
He lamented that such actions are carried out at the expense of other strategic ports such as Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne.
In response, the spokesperson to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Bolaji Akinola, in a statement on Wednesday, said the ministry welcomes constructive criticisms but argued that Peter Obi’s comments were misleading.
Akinola stated that the government is committed to modernising ports nationwide, stressing that the ministry has begun procurement for the upgrade of ports in Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Onne, alongside the ongoing modernisation of Apapa and TinCan Island ports.
The statement read, “The Federal Government is collaborating with state governments and private investors on new deep seaports in Bayelsa (Agge), Akwa Ibom (Ibom), Rivers (Bonny), and Cross River states.
“The Onitsha River Port in Anambra, developed by the National Inland Waterways Authority, is evidence of efforts to decentralise port operations.
“The federal government therefore wishes to state unequivocally that Mr Peter Obi’s claim suggesting neglect of ports outside Lagos is incorrect and misleading.
“The federal government’s policies and actions clearly demonstrate a balanced and inclusive approach to port development, guided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to promote national food security, economic diversification, and regional prosperity through the full harnessing of Nigeria’s maritime potential.”
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