Lagos — FOR over one year, Lagos ports have been under suffocating congestion. Two major reasons account for this problem. The Lagos ports are the most well developed to accommodate ships of any size and official policy tends to encourage the flow of shipping and commerce to Lagos ports.

The lower port charges in Lagos, compared to Port Harcourt, illustrate how policies have killed the other ports. Businessmen, being after profit, often go where they can save costs and make more profit.

Apart from the congestion this problem occasions and the resultant general misery for all parties concerned, it creates the paradox of leaving our ports at Port Harcourt, Calabar, Onne, Warri, Koko and others neglected and underperforming while Lagos ports are choking with traffic.

Poor policies and their poorer administration have led to Nigeria losing international trade to ports in neighbouring countries, especially the Beninois port at Cotonou. Nigerians find it easier to send their goods to Benin ports and then smuggle them into the country through illegal routes.

Over-dependence on Lagos ports hurts Nigeria in at least two major ways. It does not allow port users the benefit of free choice of ports to conduct their import and export activities. Market operators in eastern and some northern locations, due to their dependence on Lagos, find themselves in a crisis. Most importantly, this practice ensures that the other ports are sentenced to death.

While Lagos suffers congestion, other Nigerian ports are virtually empty and waiting to be patronised. They will not get the patronage.

Calabar port is idling away. It is obvious that unless Calabar port develops and is well used, the dream of converting Tinapa to a global manufacturing and shopping hub would not work. The trade free zones and the businesses sprouting round Tinapa would require a modern seaport.

Diversifying the ports infrastructure in Nigeria, however, cannot be achieved by waiting for the Federal Government alone to address it. One of the strong advantages that Lagos ports enjoy is that the Lagos State Government, being aware of the place of these ports in its revenue and commercial life, is very proactive in asserting its proprietary rights to the ports. If Lagos had its way, it would have taken over the Lagos ports.

The Delta State Government is also pushing to upgrade ports within its domain, even if it means going without the financial backing of the Federal Government. Can we say the same thing of Rivers and Cross River?

The governments and stakeholders in the ports-bearing regions and their nearby big market-bearing counterparts should work together to explore means of diversifying our ports infrastructure and take economic activities to the doorstep of Nigerians. When properly structured, this would include inland ports.

We must get away from the policy of standing Nigeria's international trading activities on one leg only. It is wasteful, constricts development of other ports and the roads bear the brunt of hauling imports through long distances.

In 2009, this should not be a matter for debates.