At least three hundred and fifty containers are ferried through the Onitsha river port on monthly basis.
This was one of the startling revelations made during the investigative hearing by House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating why Onitsha river port is not operational.
National Inland Waterways, NIWA, during the hearing also disclosed that ninety-eight percent of concession process has been attained with the highest bidder and they are in the process of gazetting it.
The General Manager, Marine NIWA and Chairman, Project Delivery Onitsha Project Concession Exercise, Engineer Joseph Ololo while answering questions from the House Member representing Idemili North and South Federal Constituency, Honourable Ifeanyi Ibezi on why Anambra State Government and the entire people of the state were not taken into consideration during the bidding of the concession of Onitsha River Port said that ITC Consortium which is in partnership with Anambra State Government did not meet the required standard but in a swift response, the legal adviser to ITC Consortium, Barrister Chikwado Eze made it clear that NIWA did not attend to ITC Consortium among the bidders.
Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, during its submissions through the Vice President, Mr. Okechukwu Anene requested that Onitsha River Port should be urgently declared, gazetted and receive full accompaniment of a port of final destination for cargo coming into the country from any port in the world and for cargo being exported from the country.
The Managing Director, Anambra state Investment and Promotion Agency, ANSIPA, Mr. Jide Ikeakor said Onitsha river port is a collectively strategic asset that can grow with increased trade volume, drawing the attention of the Ad hoc Committee to infrastructure like good road, electricity and other amenities that accompanies a River Port.
Honourable Ifeanyi Ibezi during the hearing stressed that other small African countries like Cotonou, Duala are taking advantage of non utilization of these ports and assured that these anomalies prompted him to move the motion on the floor of the house.
The Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Honourable Yusuf Yakub expressed surprise that activities are going on around the port and promised that Onitsha River Port, and other Eastern ports will be put into maximal use.
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