• LOME criticises Sanwo-Olu for allegedly resisting NPA plans to boost activities in Warri, Onne and Calabar ports
• Editors say Lagos cannot remain Nigeria’s only commercial gateway amid congestion at Apapa and Tin Can
• Group accuses governor of undermining national economic growth and intruding into NPA’s core functions
The League of Maritime Editors (LOME) has condemned Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over remarks attributed to him regarding the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) renewed push to expand operations at ports outside Lagos.
The NPA has been encouraging increased patronage at the Warri Port in Delta State, Onne Port in Rivers State and the Calabar Port in Cross River State as part of ongoing efforts to reduce pressure on the congested Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.
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Congestion at the Lagos ports has worsened over the years, prompting the introduction of the electronic call-up system to manage chaotic truck movements and restore order to port access roads.
However, in a statement jointly signed by its President, Mrs. Remi Itie, and Secretary General, Mr. Felix Kumuyi, LOME faulted the governor’s alleged opposition to expanding port activities in other regions.
The group described the governor’s reported comments as an attempt to protect Lagos’ dominance at the expense of national economic balance and maritime sector growth.
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According to the statement, LOME considers Sanwo-Olu’s position “an unnecessary interference” in the operational responsibilities of the NPA and a stance capable of stalling much-needed development in Warri, Onne and Calabar.
The editors said:“Nigeria is a federation, not a private enclave. The idea that Lagos should remain the country’s sole commercial gateway is outdated, counterproductive and must be challenged.”
They argued that years of overdependence on Apapa and Tin Can ports had resulted in gridlock, inefficiency, corruption and the collapse of traffic management systems—problems they insist are not the making of the NPA but a reflection of Lagos’ infrastructural shortcomings.
LOME maintained that decentralising port operations is crucial for regional development and for strengthening Nigeria’s maritime economy, warning that limiting port growth to Lagos would continue to hold back the nation’s economic potential.
