Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has expressed the readiness of his administration to place priority on the Deep Sea project inherited from previous administrations but stated that it is impossible for any state government to execute such huge project on its own.
The governor stated this during inter-ministerial briefing ongoing at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Uyo, stressing that construction of a Deep Sea Port is capital intensive and would require conscious collaboration of the Federal Government.
According to him, though the amount of money needed is much, Ibom Deep Sea Port is back on the front burner with a timeline for its realization and the state government would try to follow it through.
Eno said that the State Government needs the support of investors and the federal Government, saying that the state government was able to attract investors for the project but two of them withdrew following a petition by the host community.
The governor disclosed that apart from the Deep Sea Port project, his administration will focus on the aviation sector, which comprise the acquisition of aircraft for the state owned Ibom Air, the construction of the terminal building, the runway, the taxiway and the construction of a medical village.
Explaining the essence of the inter-ministerial briefing, Eno said that he is laying his administration’s 18 months achievements before the public for necessary constructive criticism and applause where needed.
“Government is not flawless, far from it, we are not afraid of criticism , but it should be constructive criticism, it should not be condemning because condemnation weighs people down ”. He noted.
Earlier, the chairman of the Ibom Deep Seaport Project, Barr. Mfon Usoro said both the design and the feasibility study of the project were expected to be completed by 2025.
According to her, the first phase of the Ibom Deep Sea Port is expected to be flagged off in 2027 with two container terminal, maintaining that though the project was delayed by the outbreak of Covid-19, it was back on track.
She thanked the governor for support over the project expressing optimism that the Sea Port will be birthed by the Umo Eno’s administration.
The ministerial briefing which was attended by traditional rulers, Non Governmental Organisations, women groups, youths and professional bodies, gave commissioners of different ministries in the state the opportunity to explain their achievements and their vision for next year.
