48-HR CARGO CLEARANCE REALISABLE - MINISTER

Disclosing this in Abuja when members of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport paid him a courtesy visit him his office, the minister said meeting the target would stave off diversion of goods to ports in neighbouring countries.

The minister said in a statement by an Assistant Director in the ministry, Mr. Abiodun Oladunjoye, that private investors were willing to invest in the Maritime sector to the tune of 60% equity.

He said investors in the Greenfield Port projects were even ready to construct breakwaters in their bid to ensure that the projects came on stream as early as practicable.

He also stated that he was particularly happy that the Greenfield port projects at Lekki and Badagry (Lagos State) and Ibaka (Akwa Ibom State) were recording appreciable progress.

Umar expressed happiness that the committee had been to some of the establishments and interacted with some of the stakeholders in the maritime sector to enable them understand the potentials, prospects and challenges in the highly lucrative sector.

The minister also lamented that the potentials in the sector were not fully tapped and said with the calibre of people in the committee, great times were ahead in the industry.