Sen. Idris Umar, Minister of Transport, on Tuesday pledged government’s commitment towards the development of deep seaports to decongest existing port facilities.
Umar gave the assurance in his keynote address at the 12th Maritime Seminar for Judges in Abuja.
He said that the commitment was part of government packages to promote international trade and transform Nigeria into the West and Central African maritime hub.
According to him, the Federal Government in collaboration with the Lagos State Government has commenced the development of Lekki deep sea port.
He said that discussion on the proposed Ibaka deep seaport in Akwa Ibom and the Badagry deep seaport had reached advance stage.
The minister said that the proposed Ibaka and Badagry deep sea ports would be executed through the public-private partnership.
“There is equally great potential in the development of Olokola deep seaport in Ogun and Ondo states,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Umar as saying.
Umar said that government would in the course of this year award the contract for the dredging of the Calabar channel and construction of break waters at Escravos.
He also said that the ministry was collaborating with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and private investors to expand the Koko Port in Delta State.
On the narrow gauge rail lines, Umar said that government was carrying out total rehabilitation of existing lines.
He said that more than 90 per cent of the existing 3,505 km narrow gauge rail line had been rehabilitated, while efforts were being made on the construction of modern standard gauge rail lines.
The minister said that the partnership between the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the National Judicial Institute had become a veritable forum for updating knowledge of judges and lawyers on maritime issues.
The seminar, he said, would focus on key areas considered critical to the development of the maritime sector with associated economic potentials.
Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker of House of Representatives, commended the organisers of the seminar for updating judges, lawyers and maritime stakeholders’ knowledge on admiralty law.
He said that the seminar would assist members of the National Assembly in understanding in-depth contemporary issues in international maritime law.
Tanmbuwal said that the House Committee on Marine Transport would liaise with the Shippers’ Council and other maritime agencies on the domestication of international maritime conventions.
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