THE argument for restructuring, devolution of powers or true federalism is based on the need for Nigeria to be weaned from its unfolding experience of dictatorial control under colonial bondage and military impunity.

We are still strongly tied down to the unproductive centralised command of our economy simply because it appears to benefit a few privileged and powerful people and their cronies to the detriment of dynamic economic growth that benefits more Nigerians.

Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari approved Constitution amendments to transfer the power to set up electricity grids outside the purview of the national grid, as well as the establishment of railways from the Exclusive to the Concurrent List. This means that state governments can now make laws setting up their own local grids and rail networks. This commendable gesture, however, did not go far enough.

What we need is a holistic programme of power devolutions and the recalibration of the Federal revenue allocation formula to meet the needs of the present. One area that must be looked into by the incoming administration from its earliest days is the issue of devolution of power to establish seaports and river ports to the subnational governments.

Today, only the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, is empowered to govern our port system. The concession arrangement it adopted has failed to ensure the development of new seaports and riverports and optimal functioning of existing facilities in other parts of the country except Lagos.

The nation is choking from its over-dependence on Lagos ports. The full opening of Lekki Ports will only metastasise the nightmares of Apapa and its environs to the Lekki corridor due to the expected massive invasion of trucks and tankers. This will be worsened by the opening of Dangote Refinery a few days from now.

It is unfortunate that the effort made two years ago by Onofiok Luke (PDP Akwa Ibom State) to get the power to establish ports transferred to the Concurrent List was suspended for “further consultations”. 

When will the consultations end? When will the Federal Government create the long-proposed Ports Master Plan to give states and private investors the freedom to establish ports as done in advanced countries?

The concentration of functional ports in Lagos under the sole authority of the NPA defy commonsensical logic. It lumps economic advantages to one part of the country. This has begun to negatively affect the human and constitutional rights of a section of non-indigenes in Lagos.

Diversification of power to establish seaports will not only create more economic opportunities and ease off growing socio-political tensions in Lagos, it will also ignite the economic potentials of our currently underdeveloped waterways.

Liberalising the ports will benefit Nigeria.