An Effective Shipping And Management Of The Warri Port For Exports Including Oil And Gas Products For Economic Growth In Niger Delta
Samuel Ogheneoro Emiaso, Ph.D. (IV) Department Of Shipping And Ports Management Prowess University, Delaware, USA Samguono@yahoo.com
Volume 1, Issue 1, October 2021
Nigeria has six major ports, of which Warri Port is well located in the Niger-Delta, home to the vast natural resource oil and gas. The production and export of this internationally demanded and viable product depend on the port services to deliver its consignments to the international market. It is on this premise that this research looks into the opportunities available to the Warri Port, to annex in order to boost its local economy while contributing to the national economy. Warri Port has obviously been left fallow over the tears as a result of the concentration of the bulk of maritime services with main activities of shipping and port management in Lagos, which have already become saturated with the overbearing and ever demanding Nigeria need for imports since the country is to a large extent a consumer state that imports more than she export. To this end, the researcher looks into the migration of services from Lagos to actively involve other ports in the country including Warri Ports to ease the gridlock in Lagos, and thereby create more jobs in other regions with active ports. The need to have functional ports with clarity and direction of purpose for a profitable economy was noticed to be a missing link that must be fixed to reposition most shipping and ports management in Nigeria, and applicable to the Warri Ports. It was observed that corrupt practices raved most ports including the Warri ports in Nigeria, and to ensure integrity and best of accountability, measures such as direct payment of customs excuse duties to government designated bank account, have been taken by the Nigerian Ports Authority, the governing body of all ports in Nigeria for transparency and best fund and profit management to sustain the nation’s economy. Continuous dredging of Warri Ports to keep the depth for vessel passage would be necessary for best sustainable use of the port.