Akwa Ibom government says it is banking on the huge economic potentials of the Ibom deep seaport in job creation and decongestion of existing port facilities to secure the approval of the federal government.
The Ibom deep seaport project is part of the Ibom Industrial City which seeks to expand the industrial base of the state .
The Full Business Case of the project has since been completed and is awaiting submission to the Federal Executive Council.
Akan Okon, commissioner for economic development and Ibom Deep seaport who made this known in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital the successful execution of the project adding a preferred bidder has been selected following a transparent process.
“The seaport is not standing alone, it also has an industrial city sited side by side which will provide opportunities for heavy and small industries,” he said.
The 17.5 metres natural depth of the seaport, the commissioner said remained an attraction for the project even as he expressed confidence in the ability of the preferred bidder, Bollore/PowerChina Consortium to see to the actualization of the seaport and industrial city.
The commissioner maintained that projects of such magnitude required due diligence to accomplish and appealed for patience from the host communities for the payment of compensation at the appropriate time.
Speaking in an interview, Okon who attributed the delay in the construction work on the highway leading to seaport to lack of funds following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic described Ibom deep seaport as a priority of the state government.
According to him, though the documentation for the project came with its own challenges, all the enabling Federal institutions involved in port development have all of supported and cooperated with the state government towards the actualization of the project.
He explained that the government that has the legitimate right to name any of its assets accordingly adding that it was why it is so named.
” I don’t think the naming is a problem. What we are interested in is the success of the project because of the revenue opportunity it will provide for the nation and the state and the opportunities and employment opportunity for the youth of the state,” he said.
