Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has lamented the economic losses suffered by the state and the nation due to the underutilisation of the Port Harcourt and Onne seaports, warning that unless their capacities are fully harnessed, Rivers State and Nigeria will continue to miss out on jobs, investments, and industrial growth.
Governor Fubara made the remarks on Monday while receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Board and Management, led by its Chairman, Senator Adeyeye Adedayo Clement, on a courtesy visit to Government House, Port Harcourt.
He emphasised that seaports are critical to national development, pointing out that many prosperous nations have relied on world-class ports and airports to drive their economies. Despite Rivers State’s strategic advantage of hosting two major ports, Fubara noted, their economic potential remains largely untapped.
According to him, “If Onne Port were operating at full capacity, the ripple effects on surrounding areas such as Eleme and Tai would be transformative. It would drive employment, stimulate manufacturing, expand clearing and forwarding services, and boost economic activity across the state.”
The governor stressed that maximising port operations would lower logistics costs, strengthen investor confidence, and attract industries that rely on proximity to export facilities. The resulting growth, he said, would translate into job creation, business expansion, and increased tax revenues.
Fubara also highlighted the state’s relatively peaceful environment, which he said his administration had sustained to attract investments. Unlike other states where port operations face disruptions from community disputes, Rivers, he maintained, enjoys smoother cooperation among host communities, the government, and the NPA.
On infrastructure, the governor identified dilapidated federal roads leading to the ports as a major challenge, citing flooding and traffic congestion as direct consequences. He urged the Federal Government to prioritise their rehabilitation but assured that his administration would support such efforts through better traffic management, regulation of truck drivers, and enforcement of order around the port areas.
He further pledged to facilitate the establishment of a police station within the ports, linking insecurity to unemployment, and emphasised that a fully functional port system would naturally reduce crime by providing alternatives for young people.
The governor condemned encroachment on port lands by private individuals and requested that the NPA provide comprehensive reports to enable the state to intervene. He also linked persistent flooding around the ports to poor access roads and inadequate drainage, promising collaboration with the NPA to address problem areas.
Commending the NPA Board for engaging with the state government before embarking on intervention projects, Fubara urged the team to seize the opportunity to revitalise the seaports so they could become genuine engines of growth rather than neglected facilities.
Responding, Senator Adeyeye Adedayo Clement, Chairman of the NPA Board, thanked the governor for his warm reception. He described Nigeria’s littoral states as richly endowed with marine assets capable of driving prosperity and assured that the board was committed to optimising operations at the Port Harcourt and Onne ports.
He also appealed for the state government’s support in rehabilitating access roads, controlling illegal truck parking, improving environmental sanitation, and establishing a police post to bolster port security.
