AKWA IBOM,NPA SET 2015 TARGET FOR
IBAKA
Akwa Ibom, NPA set 2015 target for Ibaka
Deep sea port
…Akpabio grants NPA C of O for port area
Barring any last minute changes, the proposed
Ibaka Deep sea port would start receiving
ocean lines not later than 2015, Executive
Governor of Akwa Ibom State Chief Godswill
Akpabio and the Managing Director of
Nigerian Ports Authority, Engr. Omar
Suleiman have hinted.
Governor Akpabio and Engr. Suleiman who
expressed the resolve on Monday in Abuja at a
brief event to mark the official hand over of
the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of the
over 5580 Sq meters of land area for the citing
of the new port, said all infrastructures needed
to fast -track the early completion of the port
will be provided. This is even as the Governor
pledged to within one month award contract
for the dualisation of the port main access
road to link the East –West road with a view to
making it more intermodal
The state Government equally handed over
the master plan of the port to the Managing
Director of NPA at the event.
He said the state was spurred to fast-track
work on the surveying and parceling out of the
land where the port will be cited after the last
visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the
state where he pledged support for citing of
project in an area that has comparative
advantage rather than based on ethnic
sentiments.
Governor Akpabio noted that the
infrastructures for a deep sea port is huge,
saying the state is prepared to offer assistance
to NPA at whatever point it will be needed. He
added that his government is fully ready to
partner with the Organisation to ensure that
the necessary infrastructure for effective take-
off of the port is provided. "Whatever support
that may be required to ensure that a big
ocean going Liner comes to the port by 2015
will be provided by the state government.
He allayed fears of security of investment in
the port in view of the menace of the maritime
pirates in the Nigerian territorial waters,
saying that the federal government has
granted the state it's request to establish full
military presence in that location. "Now we
have NN Jubilee in the area, so with the
presence of the Army, Navy, complementing
the Marine Police, there will be adequate
security of investments as the area will be a no
go area for maritime robbers and other
criminals." The Governor envisages that when
the multi-billion naira port project is
completed, it will be the hub of oil and gas
operation in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Ibaka port is said to be between 17 and 18
meters draught without dredging and its quay
area will span over two miles (length). It is
hoped that on completion, mega vessels of
over 10,000 TEUs will be calling at the port and
that will make it the largest in the region.
Earlier, the Managing Director of NPA
expressing delight in the gesture of the
Governor noted that the move to establish the
deep sea port is a major step in the nation's
quest of becoming the hub of maritime
operation in the West and Central African sub-
region.
He noted that what is needed to realize the
project is infrastructure, assuring that Ports
Authority will partner with Akwa Ibom State
to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is
provided. He disclosed that the port project is
intermodal that sees the construction of port
access roads and mono- rail to ensure easy
evacuation of goods out of the port.
He said the journey towards the construction
of the Ibaka deep sea port dates back to the
70s but had not been taken with seriousness it
deserves. "But with the new vision and the
transformation agenda of President Goodluck
Jonathan the development of the port has
become a must if the country is to achieve its
dream of becoming the hub port of the sub-
region.
admin pin- 27b1e1b5,www.facebook.com/reportnaija2.com
No comments:
Post a Comment