The importers want to receive their foreign goods direct in Onitsha.

The Anambra Shippers Association has called on the Federal Government to officially gazette the Onitsha River Port as an international cargo destination.

Emmanuel Akpaka, president of the association, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Onitsha, that this would make the port viable.

Mr. Akpaka noted that the initiative would also expand the frontiers of Onitsha that was located on the River Niger basin, as an international business hub.

“We want the port to be gazetted, in order for it to become a destination for cargo from anywhere in the world, whether China, Japan, Malaysia, America, or Britain.”

“So that our business brothers and sisters could ship their cargoes and goods direct from the foreign ports into Onitsha port.”

“And this can be done through a system of trans-loading tens of containers or some thousands of volumes of goods into badges to Onitsha direct and the importer receives his or her consignments in Onitsha.”

Akpaka commended the federal government for completing the port in time, as well as installing state-of-the-art facilities in it.

“We believe that all international businessmen and women have a stake in the positive wellbeing of the Onitsha port and we would also take it as our own,’’ he added.

(NAN)