Oborevwori Receives NPA Board, Advises Resuscitation of Delta Ports

•Seeks improvement on current 10.7% contribution to trade volume

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has said the four Delta ports can contribute significantly to the local and national economies if they were resuscitated and made more viable by the federal government which has statutory rights to the nation’s seaports development.
The revitalization and dredging of the Warri, Koko, Sapele and Burutu ports will create jobs, develop infrastructure, attract local and foreign investments, and boost national revenue and the economy generally, the governor said while pledging his administration’s willingness to collaborate with the federal government in that direction.
The governor, who spoke on Monday in Asaba when the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) led by its Chairman, Prince Senator Adedayo Adeleye, paid him a courtesy call, stressed the seaports’ revival will surely unlock the full economic potentials of Delta State as Nigeria’s maritime hub especially as the country strove to strengthen its economy beyond oil.
Governor Oborevwori said, “Delta State is strategically blessed with four ports. If these ports are revived, they will create massive employment, stimulate trade, and strengthen the economy of Delta and Nigeria.
“It is often more impactful to modernize existing ports than to build new ones.”
While appreciating the modernization efforts of the NPA, the governor appealed for urgent dredging of the Warri Channel and the rehabilitation of Warri and Koko port facilities, saying that such intervention needed to be prioritized.
Delta State was working in close collaboration with the federal government in tackling critical infrastructural challenges, he revealed.
“These collaborations are already yielding results. The federal government has awarded the Summit Junction-Niger Bridgehead section of the Benin-Asaba Highway to Heartland Construction Company while the state government has awarded a section of the Sapele–Warri Road project to CCECC at a cost of N35 billion. This is a clear demonstration of the positive relationship between the state and the centre”, Oborevwori explained.
Nevertheless, the governor assured potential investors of improved security in the state, noting that oil installations were no longer under frequent attacks, while the environment was relatively more peaceful for business and social activities.
Moreover, Delta has enacted a law against collection of illegal levies and harassment of companies and businesses in its efforts to protect investments across the state.
However, he urged companies operating in the state to honour their Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with host communities by engaging local people, stressing that the strategy, was key to sustaining harmonious relationship with his communities.
On ongoing infrastructure projects, the governor noted that construction giant, Julius Berger, had returned to the state for the first time in years, undertaking key projects including major flyover projects at PTI Junction, Enerhen Junction, and DSC Roundabout in Warri-Effurun axis.
Oborevwori said, “Delta State is open for business, ready for partnership, and determined to consolidate its position as Nigeria’s leading maritime and economic hub,” Oborevwori affirmed.
Earlier, Senator Adeleye pledged the Board’s readiness to work closely with the Delta State Government to revive the ports in the state and enhance their contribution to Nigeria’s maritime economy.
He said that Delta seaports of Warri, Koko, Sapele, and Burutu were strategic gateways that, if fully optimized, would boost trade, create jobs, and drive economic growth on a large scale.
He recalled that the NPA Board, inaugurated in June by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, embarked on a nationwide tour of ports to assess challenges firsthand before implementing various solutions for their optimization.
He commended the state government’s efforts at supporting security around the ports, saying that safety remained crucial to sustaining maritime operations.
He identified some of the challenges around Nigerian ports to include underutilization, collapsed quays, shallow drafts and creation of deep seaports to attract global shipping traffic.
Adeleye said, “Delta ports currently contribute about 10.7 percent of national trade volumes, which is impressive, but there is room for improvement. With stronger collaboration, we can restore the vibrancy of these ports and strengthen Nigeria’s maritime trade.”
The NPA delegation also acknowledged the state government’s role in fostering cordial relations with host communities and implementing corporate social responsibility initiatives to sustain peace.