…As Army decries poor enlistment from zone, begs youths to join military service
Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt and Cosmas Chukwu, Enugu
The Federal Government has been urged to revive the underutilized Eastern Ports by implementing a 30% rebate policy, warning that failure to take action quickly could leave Nigeria’s maritime economy in decline while other nations race ahead.
Executive Secretary of the Institute of Export Operations and Management (IEOM), Mr Ofon Udofia, made the call while addressing journalists at a Dinner Night organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Rivers State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, as part of activities marking their 2025 Correspondents’ Week celebration in Port Harcourt.
Udofia stated that the rebate will reduce the high rate of shipping imposed on Eastern ports which supresses business in the East.
He bemoaned the poor state of Eastern Ports such as Calabar, Rivers, Onitsha, Onne, Warri and Koko ports, describing them as “idle assets” wasting away due to years of policy neglect and lack of infrastructure investment.
“For the Eastern Ports to work, there should be 30% rebate and you will see all the Eastern Ports open. Calabar Port is like a swimming pool today. Koko Port is a forgotten project,” he lamented.
Udofia stressed that unlocking the potential of the blue economy begins with strategic investments and policies that encourage trade through neglected maritime corridors.
He challenged the University of Port Harcourt (Uniport) and other institutions in Rivers State to rise to the occasion.
“If you don’t do something on time, others will take over from you. Why is Uniport not offering Blue Economy as a course, to make Rivers State the centre of Blue Economy?”
Highlighting the role of media professionals in promoting trade, he proposed an NUJ Export Entrepreneurial Programme, with a focus on the Eastern Ports.
According to him, journalists are uniquely positioned to succeed in the export sector due to their reach, access, and research skills.
“Journalists can do brokerage by linking buyers to sellers all over the world and make a lot of money. You journalists have thinking fingers; there is no corner in Nigeria that you cannot enter and come out. You must wake up and export your service.
When writing your news stories, look at the environment — there are so many products in Nigeria that are highly valued and highly priced abroad.”
Udofia linked Nigeria’s persistent insecurity to mass unemployment, emphasizing that the export value chain could be a powerful tool for job creation and economic stability.
“See the issue of insecurity in this country is fuelled by unemployment. Anyone who is gainfully employed cannot go into kidnapping or banditry. Export value chain is a sector that can curb unemployment in Nigeria,” he stated.
Taking a swipe at what he described as “cosmetic approaches” to training and capacity building in the sector, he criticized the practice of issuing export licenses to individuals with no formal export knowledge.
“Nigeria is the only country in the world where people are given an export license without having any knowledge of export.
You don’t learn export in seminars,” he argued.
While citing a recent report, Udofia questioned the rationale behind NIMASA’s investment in seafarer training, despite Nigeria lacking a national fleet.
“I read in the news that NIMASA paid N300 billion to train 3,000 seafarers, a country without any vessel or shipping line. So after their training, where will you place them?” he asked.
He also noted that Nigeria’s current university curriculum is outdated and not designed to build entrepreneurs or solve practical problems.
“Our university curriculum is certificate-based. It was designed for people to graduate and work in the civil service, not to solve problems or create wealth.”
On global trade dynamics, he said recent policies under U.S. President Donald Trump — particularly those that reduced dependence on Chinese imports — should be seen as an opportunity for Nigerian exporters.
“What Trump is doing is not a problem but an opportunity for countries like Nigeria to go into export and to increase our export capacity,” he said.
Earlier, chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr. Amaechi Okonkwo, praised the theme of the week’s events and called for sustained reporting on the Blue Economy and maritime issues in the Niger Delta and beyond.
“Blue Economy has the huge potential to boost Rivers State economy. Let us not stop writing on the blue economy as the week ends, but let’s continue the discussions,” Okonkwo urged.
He also used the opportunity to honor departed members of the Chapel who passed on within the year and extended gratitude to supporters of the 2025 Correspondents’ Week, including NLNG, NDDC, HYPREP, Indorama, Rivers State Education Champions League, Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, PHCCIMA, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency, and all members of the Correspondents’ Chapel.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has raised alarm over the poor enlistment of South East youths into the military service, and called for a change of attitude to reverse the trend.
According to the Army, while Kaduna State had recorded over 3,000 applications in the ongoing 2025 recruitment exercise, Enugu State was still struggling with just a hundred, noting that the story was not different with other South East states.
It called on Enugu and South East youths to apply in their numbers in the ongoing 2025 recruitment exercise to fill their quotas.
The Army made the call in Enugu during an enlightenment town hall meeting with Local Government Council Chairmen, traditional rulers, Presidents-General of town unions, and other community and thought leaders at the weekend.
Leader of the 2025 Army Recruitment Enlightenment Team, Brigadier-General Chima Ekeator, said, “Our people are losing what rightly belongs to them.
Each year, whenever a slot is being allocated to our people, we keep noticing that the number of applicants from our side is usually very poor.
“Take for example, Enugu State was given about 200 slots, but the people who made it were never up to 100 due to poor application. This has also become a recurring decimal in other states in the South East.
“Today’s statistics on the number of applicants show that Kaduna has about 3,000 applicants, while Enugu is still battling with about a hundred; and by the time we will be through with screening, you will not have enough to recruit from the state.”
He refuted the allegation that people of South East origin were being killed in their numbers in the Army because they were the first to be sent to the battle fronts. He added that the region was also holding strategic positions in the Army presently.
“There are a lot of falsehoods out there stating that the Igbo are being killed because they are the first to be sent to the battlefield. These things are not true. After all, we that are here have risen high in the Army and we are telling you that they are lies. Today in the Nigerian Army, our brother is one of the top commanders in charge of equipment. His name is Chibueze Ogbuabor,” he said.
Speaking, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu, regretted that the problem had persisted despite the collective efforts to reverse the trend and called for a review of modes of advertising the opportunities and the need to provide more details about the benefits of serving in the Army.
“While seated here, I was just trying to conduct a very quick research and it appears this same problem is happening worldwide and militaries across the world are deploying more cutting-edge strategies for recruitment because we are talking about the new generation that you communicate in a different way from the past,” he stated.
He reiterated Governor Peter Mbah’s commitment to ensuring that the state fills its quota, describing the military as a noble and highly respected profession across the world.
On his part, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, pledged even stronger cooperation of the Local Government Council, but called on the military high command to equally address any concerns of the people to make the service more appealing to the youths.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator, Presidents-General of Enugu State Town Unions, Hon. Arinze Ogbodo; former Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzu and the traditional ruler of Nomeh Unataeze, Lieutenant Colonel Israel Mbah (rtd.), called on the youths to enlist in the Army, but stressed the need for more enlightenment.
“I was a military man before. I survived every war. I did mine and today I am a traditional ruler. So, I believe that our young people should join the force,” Mbah stated.
