The League of Maritime Editors, known as LOME, has taken issue with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over comments attributed to him concerning the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) initiatives to enhance operations at ports in the South-East and South-South regions.
The NPA has been advocating for increased usage of the Warri Port in Delta State, Onne Port in Rivers State, and the Calabar Port in Cross River State as part of its plan to alleviate congestion at the heavily trafficked Lagos ports, Apapa and Tin Can Island.
The persistent congestion at the Lagos ports has led to the implementation of an electronic call-up system to better manage traffic.
However, in a statement co-signed by LOME President, Mrs. Remi Itie, and Secretary General, Mr. Felix Kumuyi, the organization criticized the governor’s purported resistance to the advancement of other regional ports.
The editors characterized Sanwo-Olu’s stance as an effort to maintain Lagos’ supremacy at the cost of national economic progress.
They contended that the governor’s position represents an unwarranted interference in the operational duties of the NPA and poses a threat to the growth of ports outside of Lagos.
Part of the statement expressed: “The League of Maritime Editors, LOME, is profoundly troubled by Governor Sanwo-Olu’s remarks. The idea that Lagos should remain Nigeria’s exclusive commercial entry point needs to be questioned and reassessed.
“Nigeria is a federation, not a private domain. The insistence that port operations must be confined to Lagos is both antiquated and counterproductive.
“Years of over-dependence on Apapa and Tin Can ports have resulted in severe traffic jams, corruption, inefficiency, and the breakdown of traffic management systems.
“These issues are not the fault of the NPA but rather a reflection of Lagos’ failure to effectively manage its infrastructure and regulatory environment. To oppose the growth of port activities in Warri, Onne, or Calabar is to hold the