Eleme/Onne Road:Stakeholder Laments Poor Road Network

 

he deplorable condition of the Eleme/Onne road has continued to generate reactions amongst stakeholders in the Marine Sector.

 General Manager (Operations), Prestige Associates Limited, Eleme, Rivers State Mr. Chinedu Ikenga during a courtesy visit and presentation of Award by members of Business and Maritime  Writers Association of Nigeria (BUMWAN)appealed to the Federal Government to improve on the road network in Nigeria especially roads in the south and eastern parts of the country 

Mr Ikenga noted that the bad condition of Onne Port  road is disrupting the smooth running of businesses in the area calling on the federal government to consider the plight of Nigerians who make use of the East West road. 

He pointed that before now a container going from Onne Port to Aba in Abia State would not take more than one hour, but now takes up to five hours as it has to go through Owerri in Imo State before reaching its final destination.

He stated that it consumes both time and money as the truck drivers charge very high because of the increase in fuel and cost of maintenance of their trucks.

“Government should come to our aid. Last week, one of my containers fell on the way and for these containers that fall, duty has been paid, freight charged and at the end of the day, the container falls on the way and if it is a container of breakables, all the efforts of the importer would have been wasted on the way. So I plead with the government to help and reduce the stress and sufferings of the maritime operators”, he said.

He also identified the constant increase in  exchange rate as another major challenge facing the industry, stressing that high exchange rate is affecting the volume of containers they have in the Eastern ports for customers.

Mr.Ikenga also pointed out that moving containers from the seaport to the terminal has become a Herculean task. “Before now, one escort officer can do about 20 containers or more in a day but now, it is five containers to one escort officer which means that we need more officers to escort containers from this place.

Highlight of visit was the presentation of an award by BUMWAN , in recognition of his commitment and efficient service delivery in the maritime industry.