The above conclusion was reached following a case study of Oseakwa Seaport, located at Orashi Oseakwa River in Ihiala, Anambra State, but was abandoned in 1959 which constitutes a large percentage of the economic sufferage experienced in the South East region.
The study on this issue was done by a former Governor of Imo State, Mr. Ikedi Ohakim.
Mr. Ohakim noted that Oseakwa Seaport would have exposed Ndigbo, a people known for their financial exploits, to great economic potential if it were completed and put into practical use.
According to research, the abandoned Oseakwa seaport is closer in proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, at only 18 nautical miles, than its Lagos counterpart, which is 60 nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean.
Ohakim opined that one quick way of unlocking the economy of South East is through marine business as the potential seaport has capacity of handling over 35 per cent of marine business in Nigeria.
He added that Oseokwa Ihiala, Ihiala LGA, Anambra State, and Osemoto (Oguta LGA, Imo State) are the deepest natural harbor in the country (over 20m deep) and offer real naval and marine transportation platforms if developed.
Presently, there are calls both to the Federal Government and Governments of the South East region to dredge the Orashi Oseakwa River as the region stand to benefit in several ways.
First, it will increase the economic potential of the region as it will reduce the cost of transporting goods from other countries to South East where hundreds of thousands of containers are offloaded yearly.
Secondly, it will reduce road accidents occasioned by the death traps that Nigerian roads have truly become.
According to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), every year, thousands of lives are lost from accidents, mostly as a result of horrible roads.
Thirdly, it will create thousands of both direct and indirect employments, which will not only raise the fortunes of the region but also increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Anambra State and beyond.
According to the 2022 State of States report released by BudgIT, Anambra is one the three states that ranked the least alongside Kogi and Kebbi in their IGR from the previous year, with 13 states growing their IGR by more than 50%.
States like Delta, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and other neighbouring states did fairly well, far and above Anambra, but all that is bound to change if and when Oseakwa Seaport dream comes to fruition.
Last but not least, it will reduce youth restiveness which has plunged the South East into a killing minefield partly because of agitation for a Sovereign State of Biafra, and notably because of criminal joblessness and idleness.
In the excerpts of his lecture delivered at the First International Chinua Achebe Conference held at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu State, former Governor Ohakim stated:
“When I went to Oseakwa Ihiala Anambra to take a look at the Orashi River, the closest potential seaport we have in Nigeria that linked Ndi Igbo to Atlantic Ocean…
“After my meeting with Oseakwa Youth, one of their leaders who is based in Lagos, his name is Prince TonyMax, who took me to his house during our interaction on the need to dredge Orashi Oseakwa River.
“To my utmost dismay and shock TonyMax revealed to me that,
- “Shipping goods from China to Nigeria cost #N800,000 for 40ft containers.
- To move the same container from Lagos seaport to Trade Fair Lagos cost N1 million
- To move the container from Lagos to Southeast Nigeria cost N1.2 to 1.5 million
- FG charges N20,000 each day for 40ft containers packed at the seaport.
“Meaning, it is cheaper to import from China to Nigeria, than to move the goods from Lagos to any part of the Country.
“It may interest you to know that Lagos Seaport to Atlantic Ocean is 60 nautical miles, while the potential seaport we have in Oseakwa that was abandoned in 1959 is only 18 nautical miles to Atlantic Ocean.
“Shipping goods from China to Lagos with Lagos seaport is very far than shipping goods from China to Oseakwa Ihiala, using the seaport at Urashi River, Ihiala, Anambra state.
“This means that Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Rivers, Delta, Edo Bayelsa, Benue, Kogi and Akwa Ibom business men living in Lagos will find it easy to have their business in South East and South South by using Oseakwa seaport when it’s dredged.
“Please, let it be known from today that South East is not landlocked. It is only our economy that is locked. One quick way of unlocking the economy of South East is through marine business.
“Contrary to the impression that the South East is landlocked, the truth is that it has one of the potentially deepest seaports in the country at Osemoto/Oseokwa in Imo and Anambra States.
“A seaport was designated there in 1959, but the project was abandoned and the admiralty member erased for obvious political reasons. African Development Bank (ADB) feasibility report on this is unambiguous.
“Oseokwa Ihiala, Ihiala LGA, Anambra State, and Osemoto (Oguta LGA, Imo State) are the deepest natural harbor in the country (over 20m deep) and offer real naval and marine transportation platforms if developed.
“Besides, it lies only 18 nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean and a strategic hub for the oil industry and inland dry-docks to promote trade.
“This potential seaport has the capacity of handling over 35 per cent of marine business in Nigeria.
“As a matter of fact, it was the attraction to these potentials that made my administration in Imo state to site the Oguta Wonder Lake and Resort Centre in the area to encourage the federal government and foreign investors.
“If Ndigbo pursue and complete the seaport, it will also open up over 3,000 square kilometers of the most fertile agricultural land that has one of the highest alluvial deposits which has been in existence for well over a million years.
“My pursuit of this revolutionary project attracted both national and international panic and may have cost me second tenure as governor (see “Democracy by Military Tank” by Ethelbert Okere).
“This deep seaport will create over two million jobs, directly and indirectly, in marine business, oil and gas, power, education, housing, agro-food industry, entertainment, tourism, etc.
“With that type of setting, Igbo youths will have no need to crisscross the country in search of jobs and in the process endangering their young lives.”
Reacting to Ohakim’s lecture recently, the issue of Oseakwa Seaport was hotly debated on a discourse forum and below are the inputs of some who urged both the Federal Government and the regional governments to ensure that the Oseakwa Seaport project see the light of the day.
One of the think tank contributors enjoined the candidates of the hopeful incoming Labour Party (LP) government, Mr. Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, and Senator Yusuf Datti, to create economic blocks and unlock South East and South South potential, as well as unbundle the monopolistic advantage held by South West.
He said: “Obi-Datti government can actually get the diasporans stake in creating the economic blocks that will unlock the SE and SS to unbundle the monopolistic advantage held by SW by dredging the Orashi River of Imo State, River Niger, Calabar and Warri.
“He can do it as FDI but essentially by diasporans stake. The entire Eastern economic potential will be unbundled. Supply of petroleum products by land will then be outlawed. The coastal lines will distribute products right round west to east both from South to the north.”
Another think tank noted: “Dredging of river Benue will take ship into the middle belt region further entrance of merchandise into the heart of the country.
“Secondary, there is nothing wrong in building water link channel/canal for vessels to specifically mover through the canal or channel up further north connecting rivers spread across the country.
“By the time this is achieved, our roads will be for cars and light weight cargo trucks. Specifically, trucks driving through our roads will be weighted not exceeding a particular limit as done in other countries.”
Another contributor said: “All the noise about Lagos will die suddenly. That is the fear of opening up the Eastern corridors.
“Calabar and Warri ports are there. Why not link these waters and open up Nigeria for greatness? The rest will be rail to connect the 6 regional development hub.
“Tourism will be the next thing. All the tourist sites in Nigeria should be linked with blue rail. There is no part of Nigeria that should be home for all.
“Obi-Datti needs to free Nigeria from internal self-inflicted imprisonment. There is no reason why Customs, Police should not employ more personnel more than civil service.
“Finally, checking the activities of Chinese, Indians, Lebanese in Nigeria is key to our collective survival. There are businesses foreigners should not be seen doing, e.g. Custom clearing, land ownership, mining and shipment without proper regulation.
“Why is the Chinese mining our sands and shipping to their country. Do they want to sink Nigeria? What is Chinese digging? Our sands to their country?
“We heard the federal government was going to concession the country seaports! Who wants to sell this country to China and Indians?”
One concerned contributor urged Anambra State government to court private businessmen to build the port in imitation of Lagos State Government.
He said: “The Anambra State government should attract private businessmen to partner with them to build the port just like Lagos State Government did for Lekki Port and the about to start Badagry Port whose approval was given last week after Lagos State Government applied for it.
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