APFFLON Describes Onne Port Access Road An Eye Sour

APFFLON  Describes Onne Port Access Road An Eye Sour

... Inaugurates Onne  Chapter Exco

.. Says Customs  Service Delivery  Impressive

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By:Bisi Akingbade 

The African Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria, APFFLON, has condemned the  Onne Port Access  Road,  calling on Federal Government to expedite action  towards the rehabilitation of the Onne Port access road ,which it described as an eye sour

The National President, APFFLON, ,Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, during the inauguration of the Onne Chapter Executive of the Association,in Port Harcourt, said " We are using this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government to accelerate the repair of the road leading into the port.

"This is eye  an sour and and an  impediment to easy of doing business, not only to the port users, but also  to the farmers and people living  in the community" Ogunojemite noted.

While speaking in an interview with the Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria,  MAJAN,, APFFLON President,noted that there is need to monitor the contractor handling the rehabilitation of the road ,so as to Fastrack the process.

Ogunojemite said in order not to impede the movement of goods and people, during the period of rehabilitation, there is need to provide an alternative road to ameliorate the inconveniences both port users and the community would experience during this period.

"So we are asking the government to fastrack the construction of the road,and also monitor the contractors,and provide an alternative link road ,not only for the port users ,but also the host community, particularly the farmers"Ogunojemite stated.

He noted that the road is very important as it serves as transit path to Uyo and other areas and most importantly ,it is the access road through which farmers move out their produce.

APFFLON President noted that they used the opportunity of the inauguration of the Onne chapter Exco to pay a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Customs Area Controller, CAC, Onne Port Command, ACG B.Immam, adding that they had a robust discussion particularly on trade facilitation, revenue and export trade.

Assessing the activities of Onne Port, Ogunojemite said," One of the impediments we have there is the deplorable state of infrastructure, more importantly the access road which is in a very bad shape".

He however gave a pass mark to the activities in the port which he said are "impressive".

He said the current unstable  state of the naira is killing businesses and causing untold hardship to Nigerians.

,"The per capital income of the people has no value anymore." Despite all the Onne Port is actually living up to expectation, even though the port has only one scanner.

He advised that "Government should provide more scanners in the port" he advised.

He noted that customs service delivery in the port is impressive, and added that what is lacking in the port is infrastructure.

" The thing  that is lacking in Onne port is infrastructure. If truck breaks down, it is difficult to remove it, and this affects the time goods are moved from the port to the town"