Sophia Michaels
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has called on people of the Southeast to start using Onne Seaport in Rivers state.
IPOB said importers and exporters should start using the Onne seaport in Rivers State to develop the region.
IPOB said state-imposed technical and operational barriers should not be allowed to outweigh the economic benefits to importers.
Emma Powerful, the spokesman of IPOB, lamented that economic and political strangulation of policies by the Nigerian Government is affecting investments in the Southeast.
A statement by Powerful reads partly: “We, the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, ably led by the great liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu call on Ndigbo businessmen and women to start patronizing Onne Seaports at Igweocha, Rivers State in the import and export of goods.
“IPOB expresses concern over the political and economic strangulation of policies by the Nigeria State that have frustrated the investment and development of Biafra Land since 1999.
“Among the wicked economic policies is the shutting down of functional Seaports in Biafra territory, which includes Onne, Warri, and Calabar seaports but leaving Lagos seaports as the only functional Ports.
“The consequences of such greedy and selfish policies created a population surge nightmare and uncontrollable human and vehicular traffic in Lagos. The ugly situation in Lagos City and the Ports therein has forced the Nigerian government to revive the Onne port.
“Currently, Onne port at Igweocha is partially functional, though with some operational and management hitches that will be solved soon.
“Be as it may, IPOB calls on Ndigbo importers and exporters to route their imports and exports through the Onne port. We advise our people to ignore the state-imposed operational hitches but to push through to break the state-imposed barriers by patronizing the Onne port.
“Ndigbo are freedom fighters in every aspect, including in business. With time, those imposed barriers will be eliminated by our consistency in importing and exporting through Onne port. No Igbo importer should think that they’ll shut down Lagos State ports or make the operations of Onne port very effective and efficient, like Lagos ports. Ndigbo are barrier breakers by God’s grace. We should use our divine wisdom and make the Onne Port what we desire it to be. The proximity of Onne Port to the coastal and hinterland of Biafra is better than transporting from Lagos to the East.
“Finally, IPOB encourages Ndigbo importers and exporters to make use of Onne ports in Igweocha Rivers State State as a viable option against Lagos Ports. We should not allow the State imposed technical and operational barriers to outweigh the economic benefits to Ndigbo and to the importers themselves.”
