THE recent announcement by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that it is reactivating the operational base in Warri is a welcome development. The decision is a logical and crucial one if the emphasis on harnessing Nigeria’s huge maritime potential as part the Federal Government’s plan to broaden the nation’s economic base will go beyond mere rhetoric.
At the end of the civil war in 1970, the post-war reconstruction programme fueled by the considerable injection of petro-dollars in the wake of the massive increase in the international price of crude oil saw Nigeria import large consignments of goods beyond what the limited port facilities could handle. Under the first major policy thrust in reconstructing and rehabilitating the war-ravaged economy, the then Federal Military Government unveiled the Second National Development Plan (1970-1974) to rehabilitate, modernise and develop seaports across Nigeria’s 853-kilometre coastline to expedite the logistics challenge of post-war reconstruction.
Thus the new Warri Port was built in addition to new ones in Sapele and Koko. This is also in addition to the rehabilitation of Burutu Port. Together, they came to be known as Delta Ports Complex under the control and management of NPA.
In building the Warri Port, the Federal Government envisaged it to rival those in Lagos in terms of available facilities.
At the time of their construction, the advertised draught of Warri Ports could accommodate different range of vessels. While the Old Warri Port had a maximum draught of 6.7 metres, that of New Warri Port had draught of up to 11.50 metres, comparing even favourably with Lagos ports which have 10.50 metres draught. The ports in Sapele and Koko had draught of 6.40 metres and 7.32 metres, respectively.
These are the depths advertised at the time of their completion in 1977. However, to sustain the draughts, the channels leading to the ports had to be regularly dredged as, being estuary ports, they are prone to high rate of siltation. Unfortunately, while the channels leading to Lagos ports were regularly dredged, those of Delta ports were abandoned to silt up. It is such that after years of abandonment, the draughts are considerably less than what they were at the time of coming on stream. Consequently, the patronage of the ports that were supposed to enjoy similar levels of patronage as Lagos ports has been abysmal.
In effect, the ports in Lagos have remained the major port of entry, negating the concept of the elaborate post-war development of ports across the coastline. Since 2006, Nigeria’s seaports have been operating under private sector concessions, with NPA leasing out terminals for private companies to manage, a shift from purely public operation, aiming to boost efficiency, investment, and global competitiveness. However, while the major ports in Lagos, including Apapa and Tin Can as well as Port Harcourt port enjoy patronage that has seen their periodic congestion, especially in Lagos, those in Delta have been barely functional.
The reason is entirely due to the failure to regularly dredge the channels leading to the Delta Ports. Regular maintenance dredging is imperative for the 109-kilometre channel to remain navigable. NPA’s failure to undertake periodic dredging of the channel unlike that of Lagos ports is the primary reason patronage of Warri Port by ocean-going vessels is abysmally poor.
In deciding to reactivate its operational base in Warri, a clear policy for dredging of the Warri channel to reach the advertised draught at the time of the port’s construction and for regular dredging is imperative. While we commend NPA on its intention to reactivate the Warri Port base, it should be backed by a credible plan to make the channel to the port more navigable through regular maintenance dredging as is done for Lagos ports. That way, the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to harness Nigeria’s immense potential in the maritime industry will be realistic.
The management of ports and maintenance of their channels are on the exclusive list. Only the Federal Government through the NPA can undertake the capital intensive task of making the channel to Warri Port navigable up to the depth conceptualised at the time of its construction in 1977.
