Anthony Iwuoma
The Federal Government has signed a tripartite agreement with the Government of Lagos State, Westron Engineering and Maritime Investment Company.
The agreement has resulted in the construction of a new port facility, which is located at Ijegun near Satellite Town area of Lagos State expected to slash cargo traffic at the currently heavily congested Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports by about 25 percent.
According to the chairman, Westron Group, Chief George Igboegun, the development of Ijegun port city started several years ago, following substantial dredging and reclamation of the swamp around the Satellite Town area.
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Igboegun also revealed plans to further expand the capacity of the facility, adding that the facility is capable of absorbing 25 per cent of the Apapa cargo traffic.
Speaking further, the Westron chairman disclosed that the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, will soon inaugurate the one-kilometre road, bridge and water channel that was constructed by the facility.
He explained that the idea of the new port facility was triggered by the delays at Apapa port and the traffic gridlock, which made it impossible for his company’s fishing trawlers to find adequate berthing facilities in Lagos, which served as the main market.
Consequently, the company decided to take advantage of the maritime potential of the swampy and natural harbor in Ijegun, with government partnership.
He also recognised the contributions of other stakeholders like the Ijegun Tank Farm Association.
Noting that roughly 60 percent of the country’s petroleum products are located in Ijegun, Igboegun added that the area is home to 12 tank farms, with about 600,000,000-litre storage capacity.
According to him: “The new bridge and road represents part of our contribution towards bridging this infrastructural gap in the new city.
“It is our hope that with the combined effort of the private and public sectors, the city will see further growth, making significant contributions towards relieving the Apapa problem.
“It is projected that our present additional development in the area, will see a further growth of 30 per cent in this new city.”
