Two new seaports costing $1.6bn are to be developed by the Federal Government in the South-South as part of efforts to decongest the Lagos ports, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said.
He said the two ports would be built in the Pessu area of Warri, Delta State, and Bonny in Rivers State, adding that each of the port would cost $800m.
The minister stated this in the Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State when he went in company with the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, to empower 1,700 women and youths with starter packs, micro-enterprise enhancement loan and resettlement package under the National Directorate of Employment’s empowerment programme.
Amaechi said, ‘’The Federal Government is set to build a new seaport in Pessu and a similar one in Bonny in the Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State. The seaport (project) will gulp $800m each.”
He also spoke on the implications of disrupting the smooth execution of the project, warning the youths, “When you stop them from working, you are losing such a huge investment where the entire community can be contractors; some can supply sand.”
Amaechi also said, “The best thing to do is to allow the development. Imagine the companies that have left Warri; let the seaport project go on smoothly.”
Keyamo also said the Federal Government was in a hurry to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty, adding that with what they were giving out as empowerment in the early stage of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Deltans should expect more to come in the next few years.
Among items given to women and youths across the entire local government areas at the Petroleum Training Institute conference Centre were sewing machines, knitting machines and welding machines. They were also given cash as part of the empowerment programme.
