Maritime stakeholder lists  deplorable port access road, tank farm as challenges of port users

 

Chinazor Megbolu   |  

 

The Managing Director, Goldlinks Investment Company Limited, Mr. Anthony Anakebe has identified the deplorable port access roads and indiscriminate siting of tank farms as one of the major challenges confronting port users.

 

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Lagos,  Anakebe described the roads as eyesore and an embarrassment to the Federal government.

 

“The major challenge is particularly the port access roads. It is an eyesore and I will continue to say it. I have done more than 200 press conferences on this issue but I must continue to say it. 

 

“The maritime town in every nation is a well-planned area. What happened in Apapa in the last 15-20 years? Only God knows what has brought this nation to its knees”.

 

He also noted that the major problem again are tank farms in Apapa, which he wish the authorities should revoke all their licenses.

 

Anakebe added that removing the tank farms in the area will give Apapa the facelift as it used to be in the 70s and 80s, which will see businesses coming to the Apapa area again.

 

He also stated further that the government should stop importation of used cars otherwise known as tokunbo in order to support Indigenous manufacturers.

 

” What matters is the future of the coming generation of this nation. Not just vehicles, most of the raw materials and chemicals coming into the country will make our job to continue. It’s not only vehicles that we clear.

 

“Most of us in this field don’t believe in this business of tokunbo. That’s not what gives us money. What gives us money is what we know that once we take it into the market, they will sell it.

 

 “The essential commodities is very vital because you can’t discard it. It’s a very interesting thing if it will work. Like when Volkswagen was in Nigeria, you can buy at N4,000 or N2,000 because the company and everything was here in Nigeria. 

 

“If you bring a tokunbo car now, they will be calling N3 million or even N5 million. All these money being wasted by bringing foreign vehicles can be saved if we patronise local manufacturers and encourage them as well as pharmaceutical companies too because a lot want to establish but needs encouragement,” Anakebe said