The absence of functional ports is seen to be frustrating the development of the non-oil exports sector in Delta State.
This has killed moves and strategies that ought to help diversify the state’s economy, the South-south region and Nigeria, at large.
The state, which has four seaports in Burutu, Warri, Sapele and Koko, cannot boast of one functioning optimally, a situation that makes the people go to Apapa Port in Lagos only to be frustrated most times by unnecessary delays that result to huge wastages.
To most importers and exporters, it’s hellish using Apapa as it is over-congested, forcing them to prefer Onne Port in Rivers State due to closeness, safeness and conduciveness in terms of logistics.
This gab seen by the largest private industrialist and governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, has been his driving force to savage the remains of the ports in the state, turn it around and make it a source of revenue and employment generation for 25, 000 youths in the State.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of party faithful, clergymen and supporters who thronged his Oginibo country home in Ughelli south local government area of the state for a prayer session to put his ambition into God’s hands and pray for peace in the state, the entrepreneur said his government would take 25, 000 youths out of the street, if the seaports were functional.
“We have several seaports here. If we were to put our seaports to work, that will take 25, 000 youths from the street.
“By our plans, we will move all our youths out of the street with immediate effect. There is a solution, if you don’t know how to run business and manage money, you have no business in governance”.
He said the seaports would be revamped to enable goods produced in the state to be exported to other countries of the world thereby generating income for the state “and my GDP will grow and we have no business relying on oil money”, he said.
