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By Ibifuro Hart

The rivers and creeks of Rivers State have always been more than a geographical feature; they are lifelines. From colonial trade routes to the oil boom era, maritime infrastructure has been at the heart of the state’s economic identity. Yet, over the years, this vital sector has suffered from neglect, bureaucratic mismanagement, and in some cases, outright sabotage.

The result has been a loss of economic competitiveness, a decline in public trust, and the erosion of once-thriving port communities.

Since his appointment as Sole Administrator during the state of emergency in March 2025, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd.) has sought to reverse that decline with a focused push on port rehabilitation, reliable electricity, and transparent governance. His approach has been both infrastructural and institutional, combining physical upgrades with policy reforms aimed at restoring confidence among businesses and citizens.

One of the first signals that the maritime sector was back on the priority list came in April, when dredging resumed along the Port Harcourt inland waterways. For years, siltation had choked navigable channels, forcing many traders to abandon water routes in favour of slower, costlier road transport. Within weeks of the dredging project’s commencement, cargo boats began returning to once-busy jetties in Borokiri and Abonnema Wharf. The impact was immediate: freight costs for certain commodities fell by as much as 30 per cent, boosting trade volumes and breathing life back into local economies.

But Ibas did not stop at clearing waterways. His administration moved quickly to repair and modernise critical port infrastructure.

The once-neglected Port Harcourt Industrial Wharf received reinforced docking facilities and upgraded cargo handling equipment, while the Bonny Jetty saw the installation of modern security scanners to curb smuggling and improve safety. These upgrades have not only increased capacity but also signalled to investors that the state is serious about revitalising its maritime assets.

Electricity, often the Achilles heel of industrial and commercial operations in Rivers State, has also been a major focus. Recognising that port efficiency is inseparable from power reliability, the administration brokered a partnership with private energy providers to deliver dedicated power lines to key port facilities.

In Bonny, for example, a newly commissioned 33KV line has drastically reduced outages, enabling cold storage operators and dockside industries to run without constant generator use. This has translated into lower operating costs, which in turn has made Rivers ports more competitive.

Beyond physical infrastructure, Ibas has made governance reforms central to his strategy. In May, the administration rolled out a digital port management system designed to streamline vessel clearance, cargo tracking, and tariff payments.

By moving these processes online, the system reduces opportunities for corruption, speeds up turnaround times, and improves revenue collection. Early reports from port users suggest that clearance times have dropped from an average of five days to less than two.

Public trust, however, is not built on efficiency alone. It requires transparency. To that end, the Ibas administration has begun publishing monthly reports on port revenues, dredging progress, and infrastructure upgrades. These reports, made accessible both online and at community notice boards, have been welcomed by traders’ unions and civil society organisations as a refreshing departure from the opaque practices of the past.

The benefits of these initiatives are already being felt beyond the ports themselves. In Degema, for example, fishermen report that the revived waterways have cut their travel time to markets in half, allowing them to sell fresher catches at better prices. In Oyigbo, logistics firms servicing the ports have expanded operations, creating new jobs for drivers, dock workers, and warehouse staff. The ripple effect on the state’s economy is undeniable.

Still, challenges remain. The maritime sector is vulnerable to environmental hazards, and periodic oil spills continue to disrupt fishing and water transport. Security threats, particularly in remote waterways, also require constant vigilance. The administration has responded by increasing patrols through the state’s marine police unit and by engaging local communities in early-warning systems.

Critics argue that while the port upgrades are commendable, more needs to be done to integrate them with other transport modes. They point out that without seamless road connections, the full potential of maritime revitalisation will remain untapped. In response, the Ibas government has earmarked funds for the rehabilitation of feeder roads linking major jetties to urban markets, with the Trans Kalabari Road upgrade serving as a pilot project.

What makes the Ibas model noteworthy is its integration of infrastructure renewal with governance reform. Too often in Nigeria, physical projects are launched with fanfare but decay quickly due to poor maintenance and weak oversight. By embedding transparency and efficiency into the operational framework, the administration is working to ensure that gains are not only achieved but sustained.

This approach finds parallels in other port cities that have undergone successful revitalisation. In Tema, Ghana, for instance, port upgrades coupled with digital clearance systems transformed the harbour into a regional hub. Similarly, Durban in South Africa leveraged public-private partnerships to modernise facilities and boost cargo throughput. Rivers State’s current trajectory suggests it could join this league if momentum is maintained.

For many residents, the most compelling evidence of change is not in policy documents but in everyday experience. They see it in cargo boats docking where weeds once grew, in traders no longer losing perishable goods to power cuts, and in the knowledge that port revenues are being tracked and accounted for.

As the state moves forward, sustaining public trust will require continued delivery on promises, proactive engagement with stakeholders, and readiness to adapt to emerging challenges. Infrastructure can be built in months, but the credibility to manage it well is earned over years. If Ibas can maintain his blend of practical delivery and institutional reform, the ports of Rivers State could once again become symbols of prosperity rather than relics of a faded past.

In the meantime, the hum of engines at revitalised jetties, the buzz of markets supplied by efficient transport, and the steady flow of transparent reports are tangible signs that a new chapter may be unfolding for Rivers maritime economy. And in a region that has too often been let down by its leaders, that is a story worth watching.

Ibifuro Hart writes from Bonny, Rivers State

This post has already been read at least 119 times!