Terminal Operators Accuse FG of Abandoning Port Roads

ABIOLA Seun

The President of the Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) has decried abandonment of the port access roads by successive governments in the country.

Speaking at an industry event recently, the Chairman STOAN, Princess Vicky Haastrup lamented why successive government allowed the port access roads to progressively degenerate until they became impassable.

She however expressed dismay that terminal operators are operating under the harshest business environment in spite of the huge investments they have made towards developing the nation’s seaports following their takeover of the day-to-day running of the terminals as a result of the successful conclusion of the port concession programme over a decade ago.

Haastrup who is also the executive vice Chairman of ENL consortium decried the menacing Apapa gridlock which she said is frustrating operations in the nation’s seaports.

Describing it as a monumental national disgrace, Haastrup said: “The situation in Apapa particularly as it relates to access to the port is a monumental national disgrace. How can a sector that has such huge potential and that generates billions of naira for government be left to degenerate? Government is looking for oil but we have a sector that has the capacity to give you all the revenue you need, yet the sector is suffering. Why has it not been attended to?”

According to her, the large number of tank farms located within Apapa has also compounded the chaotic gridlock while more licenses are still being issued to new tank farm owners.

“We have over 60 tank farms in Apapa. Is that not a national disgrace? Yet we are still granting more licenses for people to build tank farms.”