Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has strongly cautioned critics against politicising the Ibom Deep Seaport project, stressing that his administration remains fully committed to bringing the over 20-year-old initiative to fruition.
While receiving the Ibom Deep Seaport feasibility report in Uyo on Wednesday, Governor Eno linked his administration’s closer engagement with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to the accelerated realisation of the project. He argued that strategic alignment with the centre is crucial for fast-tracking infrastructure development of this magnitude.
However, the governor acknowledged ongoing criticism regarding the pace of work, even amid perceived federal alignment.
“Port development anywhere in the world is not a sprint but a marathon,” Eno said, adding that his administration is determined to ensure the project “sees the light of day.”
He paid glowing tributes to past leaders who laid the foundation for the seaport, including former Governor Victor Attah, Senate President Godswill Akpabio (also a former governor), and immediate past Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The governor commended the technical committee for its thorough and professional work on the feasibility report. He highlighted key steps already taken by his administration, such as funding a comprehensive feasibility study, preparing investor fact sheets, constructing access roads, carrying out geophysical and geotechnical investigations, and setting up a dedicated project office.
Eno also pointed to his government’s broader integrated approach to infrastructure, encompassing land, air, and maritime sectors. This includes the construction of over 1,300 kilometres of roads, the expansion of Ibom Air, upgrades at Victor Attah International Airport, and ongoing investments in maritime activities in Oron.
Reaffirming a results-driven strategy, the governor stated: “We decided to bring everyone together and move all aspects of the deep seaport project to the front burner to enable us to aggregate exactly what we need to do with timelines.”
He further directed the Commissioner of Finance and Coordinating Commissioner for Special Duties, Emem Bob, to develop targeted training programmes for youths to build the skilled workforce required for the construction phase and future operations of the seaport.
Presenting the report, committee chairman Mrs Mfon Usoro — a seasoned maritime lawyer and former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) — described the project as a major catalyst for economic growth. She noted that the seaport, to be developed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, would significantly expand Nigeria’s port capacity, ease of doing business, and industrialisation efforts by integrating with the Ibom Industrial City.
As a proposed Free Trade Zone, the Ibom Deep Seaport is positioned to become a leading transhipment hub and one of the largest deep-sea ports in the West African region.
Usoro listed several milestones already achieved, including the engagement of programme managers, appointment of global transaction advisers, completion of feasibility studies, due diligence, financial modelling, and a transparent international bidding process that produced preferred bidders.
She outlined upcoming priority phases such as infrastructure development (including container terminals, breakwaters, and Navy berths), Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), market and financial studies, port access road construction, investment roadshows, land acquisition, regularisation of Free Trade Zone licences, and continued negotiations with the Nigerian Ports Authority.
Mrs Usoro appealed for patience, explaining that port projects of this scale are complex and globally take up to 20 years from conception to full commissioning.
The governor’s latest remarks come weeks after he called on Akwa Ibom residents in March 2026 to exercise patience on both the Ibom Deep Seaport and power sector reforms, noting that both initiatives require extensive work and are not quick fixes, even as significant progress has been recorded.
Comments
Post a Comment