Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Umo Eno, has said the development of Ibom Deep Sea Port was not his administration’s priority at the moment because the state alone can’t shoulder the weight of the project just as it cannot be handled along with two other major ongoing projects.
Eno, at a media parley in Uyo ahead of the 37th anniversary of the state’s creation, was responding to the growing pressure on his administration to advance the Ibom Deepsea Seaport project that has not made meaningful progress since being initiated by the Obong Victor Attah’s administration.
“Ibom Deepsea Port is on course. No state government can develop its seaport by itself. No need to beat about the bush. All the state government can do is to consistently look for investors and partners.
“We needed to get back to the team of the Deepsea Port to work. When we came in, some of our partners and consultants were owed so much for the work they had done. So, we had to make sure we cleared the debt and paid them to get them back to work.
“You would have also observed we are opening up the road linking to the seaport itself. We continue to work in that direction. The federal government has made budgetary allocations, but we also know that budget is one thing, and release is another thing.
“We believe part of the benefits we will derive from the robust relationship we are building with the federal government is to be able to support some of the projects they are doing in the state.
“We need to have that synergy and to have even the peace we are enjoying; that synergy is important. Where you don’t have that synergy in some states in this country, you know the results. So, we will continue to build on that.
He said the Ibom Deepsea Port was on course, adding that “we will begin a roadshow to get investors to add value to realisation of the project.”
He added “The state has taken on two audacious projects. We are doing a complete aviation ecosystem, building a brand-new airport and a second taxiway, which will serve as an emergency runway.
“We are building an MRO. Around the airport, we are about to start the Aviation Village. So, building that Ecosystem by the state government alone, you cannot take the whole project and then you are handling a Seaport at the same time.
“Our people say you don’t carry two things and start climbing the stairs even though I disagree with that proverb, but the fact remains that the funding available to you should go towards one direction. These are the issues.”