The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged South East importers and exporters to prioritise the use of Onne Seaport in Rivers State. IPOB said that state-imposed technical and operational barriers should not be allowed to outweigh the economic benefits to importers.
The spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful, lamented that economic and political strangulation policies by the Nigerian Government are affecting investments in the region.
A statement by Powerful reads in part: “IPOB, led by Nnamdi Kanu, calls on Ndigbo businessmen and women to start patronizing Onne Seaports at Igweocha, Rivers State, for importation and exportation of their goods.
“IPOB expresses concern over the political and economic strangulation policies by the Nigeria State that have frustrated investment and development of the region since 1999.
“Among such economic policies is the shutting down of functional seaports in South East territory, which includes Onne, Warri and Calabar, leaving the ones in Lagos as the only functional ports.
“The consequences of such greedy and selfish policies have created a population surge, nightmare and uncontrollable human and vehicular traffic in Lagos. The ugly situation in Lagos and the ports has forced the Federal Government to revive the Onne port.
“Currently, Onne port is partially functional, though with some operational and management hitches that will be solved soon.
“Be that as it may, IPOB calls on Igbo 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 patronising the Onne port.
“Ndigbo are freedom fighters in every aspect, including 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 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 goods from Lagos to theEast.”
