NWEKE CALLS FOR STATUTORY PORT-HOST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST, WARNS THAT MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES THREATEN MARITIME GROWTH

NWEKE CALLS FOR STATUTORY PORT-HOST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST, WARNS THAT MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES THREATEN MARITIME GROWTH

HRM Oba Morufu Oyekunle Oluwa,the Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom (L) and Dr Eugene Nweke Head Research SEREC,receiving award as the best maritime expert personnel,2025

By Frank Odinukaeze

At the 2025 National Workshop of the Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP), maritime researcher and frontline freight expert, Fwdr. Eugene Nweke, delivered a powerful call for a new governance structure to empower Nigeria’s port host communities, warning that the nation’s maritime future “will rise or fall on the stability, participation and prosperity of its host communities.”

Delivering a paper at Rock View Hotel & Suites, Apapa, Lagos,  on the THEME ,:EMPOWERING HOST COMMUNITIES THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP,Nweke argued that Nigeria’s port communities remain visibly under-served despite decades of maritime activity, noting that global port cities now measure success not only by cargo throughput but by the wellbeing and inclusivity of their surrounding communities.

Group photograph vof participants at the workshop,on  the THEME ,:EMPOWERING HOST COMMUNITIES THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

“A Port Cannot Be Globally Competitive While Its Host Communities Are Locally Impoverished”

In a strongly worded address, Nweke highlighted glaring socio-economic gaps in riverine and port communities across Lagos, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta states.

He listed persistent problems including high youth unemployment, exclusion of local MSMEs from port procurement, weak environmental protections, poor social amenities, and erosion of traditional fishing livelihoods.

Introduction of the maiden edition of the Eagle Dispatch Magazine by the group on Wednesday,at Rock view Hotel Apapa Lagos

“These conditions create mistrust, weaken national competitiveness and threaten the sustainability of Nigeria’s maritime system,” he warned.

Borrow from Proven Models — Rotterdam, Antwerp, Maersk
Nweke benchmarked Nigeria’s situation against global examples such as:
Rotterdam’s DeltaPORT Fund for community welfare and environmental management.

3rd from Left, President of CONMMEP,AMr Udo Onyeka,HRM Oba Morufu Oyekunle Oluwa the Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom, middle,and Alhaji Tunde Umar,McAthony Onuoha,at the event on Wednesday in Lagos

Antwerp-Bruges’ community-integration and sustainability reporting
Maersk’s skills-to-jobs corporate citizenship framework
These, he said, form a “golden triangle” of empowerment — institutionalised governance, dedicated community funds, and transparent impact evaluations.
Adopt the Host Community Development Trust Model to Maritime Sector
Citing the success of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) under the Petroleum Industry Act, where ₦373 billion had accumulated by October 2025 with 536 projects initiated, Nweke urged the maritime industry to adopt a similar statutory structure.

“Our maritime sector lacks a comparable empowerment framework,” he said. “But it can adopt and adapt this proven model.”

Members of the high table displaying the Magazine: Eagle Dispatch, during its introduction at the event,on Wednesday,at Rock view Hotel Apapa Lagos

Why Previous Efforts Have Failed
Nweke delivered a candid assessment of failed interventions:
CSR projects are “episodic, not systemic”

Skills training lacks job placement
Local businesses are shut out of port procurement
Community voices are weak or absent in decision-making
Environmental impacts are not co-managed

Monitoring and evaluation are largely non-existent

“What is not measured cannot be improved,” he stressed.
A 12-Month Roadmap for Transformative Change
Nweke proposed a clear, actionable roadmap:
0–3 Months:
Stakeholder mapping
Baseline socio-economic survey
Hazard and vulnerability assessment
3–6 Months:
Establish the Port-Host Community Development Trust (PHCDT)
Sign partnership MoUs
Introduce inclusive procurement policy
6–12 Months:
Maritime apprenticeships for 100–300 youths
MSME accelerator programme
Community-driven infrastructure projects
Environmental co-monitoring teams
Quarterly public impact reports
Funding Estimate
He projected that an end-to-end empowerment blueprint could cost:
Baseline survey: ₦10–15 million
Governance & trust setup: ₦20 million
Skills pipeline programme: ₦40 million
Community infrastructure: ₦80–150 million

President emeritus of CONMMEP, Alhaji Tunde Umar ( L) and the Royal Father of the day,HRM,Oba Morufu Oyekunle Oluwa the Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom, during the workshop at Rockvew Hotel Apapa Lagos on Wednesday

“These are achievable figures,” he noted.
Role of the Media — “When the Media Tracks Promises, Stakeholders Behave Better”
Nweke emphasised the crucial watchdog role of the media, especially CONMMEP, urging it to:
Publish annual host-community assessments
Track commitments by port operators
Report environmental impacts
Create platforms for dialogue and community stories
“Empowerment requires visibility,” he said. “The media gives communities the leverage they lack.”

A New Social Contract for Port Cities
Ending his address, Nweke called for a national rethink:
“A disempowered community is a risk.
An empowered community is an asset.”

He urged port authorities, terminal operators, coastal state governments, and development partners to institutionalise strategic partnership as the foundation for a stable and prosperous maritime sector.

“Empowerment is not a favour — it is a right, a responsibility, and an investment in national prosperity,” he concluded.

He commended the organisers  of the programme for spotlighting the issue and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing research-driven solutions for Nigeria’s maritime future.

Speaking at the event ,Royal Father of the day, HIs Royal Majesty,Oba
Morufu Oyekunle Oluwa, the Olu of Iwa & Apapa Kingdom,
thanked the organisers for what he described as ” wonderful initiative”, adding that  his Kingdom will give adequate support to the organisers for this laudable program.

He noted that the Port Host Communities  are  often neglected by  agencies and organisations operating in the area.The Royal lamented that there is no good health care facilities in his Kingdom, including other necessary  infrastructures.He said he will personally lead delegation CTO the National Assembly to press for a consolidated Port Host community Trust  Fund to be enshrined in the Constitution to carter for the needs of these communities .

Earlier,the president of the Maritime group,Mr Udo  Onyeka had told the gathering that the objective of the workshop was to give back to the port host communities.He said it is on furtherance of that objective that they have decided to float a Magazine called “Eagle Dispatch”, which would be used as an advocacy medium for the set objectives of the group .

The high points of the event were  the ” Introduction” of the maiden edition of the “Eagle Dispatch” Magazine,produced by the group
The event also featured recognition awards to some deserving individuals including Dr Eugene Nweke,Head of Research SEREC,HRM Oba  Morufu  Oyekunle Oluwa, the Olu of Iwa & Apapa Kingdom,president of the group Mr Udo Onyeka ,Alhaji Tunde Umar, amongst others