Buhari Directs Linkage of All Seaports to Rail

ABIOLA Seun ~

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said he has directed that the nation’s seaports be connected by rail for improved evacuation of cargoes to the hinterland.

This was even as the president mentioned that the administration is presently constructing 25 major highways and 44 roads across the six geo-political zones in the country.

Speaking yesterday when he declared open the International Association of Ports and Harbour (IAPH) conference hosted by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), in Abuja, President Buhari said his administration is committed to rebuilding infrastructure that supports multimodal means of transportation from the ports to the hinterland.

He said, “This administration that I am privileged to lead is committed to rebuilding infrastructure that supports multimodal means of transportation from the ports to the hinterland.

“We understand that this interconnectivity will improve the country’s economic competitiveness as targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth. So for starters, I have directed that every port must have the compliment of rail infrastructure. Our projections are that by the end of 2021, we will have standard gauge railway across the main North-South trading route.”

“We have insisted on the stimulation activities on our inland waterways. Major inland river channels are being dredged with adequate channel markings for ease of navigation all the way through the Eastern and, Northern parts of the country.”

The President who disclosed that factor deciding the competitiveness of ports is the efficiency with which cargoes are evacuated to and from the ports said connectivity is an area in which port operations in Africa needs a lot of intervention.

He however expressed confidence that the conference would collectively seek lasting solutions to the challenges that port operations face on the continent.

“The theme of the conference, African Ports and Hinterland Connectivity is itself a testament of the determination of the organisers of the conference to collectively seek lasting solutions to the challenges that port operations face on the continent.

“After the issues of adequate security and transparency, the one other important factor deciding the competitiveness of ports is that efficiency with which cargoes are evacuated to and from the ports. This, without doubt is an area in which port operations in Africa needs a lot of intervention.

“Of course, there are on-going discussions in Nigeria and other African countries on the expediency of urgently investing in infrastructure that supports multi-modal means of transportation between our ports and the hinterland, meetings like this put the issues in proper perspectives and serve as avenue for the generation of ideas that would aid our national governments formulate effective policies.”

He also disclosed that even though Africa is divided by physical national boundaries, they are all connected by water which is a natural source of connectivity.

“The waters are a natural source of connectivity and they seem like a subtle message that we must work together for the good of all our countries. This, in a sense, seems to be a divine ordination of our desire for continental integration. Even though we have physical national boundaries that separate us, the waters are a natural source of connectivity and they seem like a subtle message that we must work together for the good of all our countries. This is why there could be no better time than now to hold this conference.”

Also speaking, the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said the administration appreciates the importance of the maritime industry to trade facilitation, adding that optimising the maritime potential is totally dependent on the efficient transportation of cargo from port locations into the various destination of use.

He said the government is pursuing the reactivation and extension of railway networks in all seaports across the country to facilitate the ease of transporting cargoes.

Noting that work has commenced on remodelling the existing narrow gauge rail lines on the Apapa corridor of the Lagos – Ibadan rail network into standard gauge for seamless transportation of people and goods, he expressed optimism that the Lagos-Ibadan rail network would be commissioned later this year or early next year, noting that the construction work is progressing at a rapid pace.

Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and Vice President, IAPH (Africa), Hadiza Bala Usman, said there is no doubt that Africa holds a special place in the global maritime space, with 39 of the 54 countries on the continent endowed with littoral assets, the development of the continent is to a large extent tied to the optimal exploitation of its vast maritime resources.

“There is no doubt that one of the determinant factors for the relevance of ports is the speed and seamlessness with which owners of cargo are able to move their consignments out of the ports and that Africa really does still have a lot of work to do in this area,” she stated.