Less than two weeks after Shipping Position Daily reported that the Ibaka Deep sea port is a ruse, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom; the host state has said that the completion of the deep seaport, by the Federal Government, would facilitate trade and investment.
He made the observation in Uyo yesterday at a three-day workshop organised for senior journalists.
The governor, who was represented by Mr Aniekan Umanah, the Commissioner of Information and Communication, pledged that his administration would continue to promote trade and investment.
Less than two weeks after Shipping Position Daily reported that the Ibaka Deep sea port is a ruse, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom; the host state has said that the completion of the deep seaport, by the Federal Government, would facilitate trade and investment.
He made the observation in Uyo yesterday at a three-day workshop organised for senior journalists.
The governor, who was represented by Mr Aniekan Umanah, the Commissioner of Information and Communication, pledged that his administration would continue to promote trade and investment.
According to the Governor,“the seaport project is of major concern for the government and people of Akwa Ibom, we will continue to partner with the Federal Government to achieve its objective”.
Akpabio stressed that the seaport’s construction would open windows of opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea.
“The port will serve all countries in the Gulf of Guinea and it will also lessen the burden of our ports in Lagos,’’ he said.
The workshop, with the theme, `Ethics and Business Journalism’ was organised by First Bank Plc., Pan-Atlantic University and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).
But Shipping Position Daily correspondent who spoke with indigenes and residents of the coastal community had reported that, there was no construction going on at the site as against the claims of the State government and the Federal Government.
The only structure that could be noticed at the site was a lonely naval jetty which our correspondent gathered was hurriedly constructed about two years ago.
Apart from this, there was no access road to the port project site; even the narrow road leading to it was full of deep holes.
Speaking with our correspondent, indigenes of the Ibaka settlement whom government has proposed to relocate from their homes lamented the ordeals they are made to face even in the hands of pirates and militants.
They also expressed surprise about the deep sea port project.
An Ibaka fisherman who resides at the waterside, Eric Nwachi had confirmed that: "Piracy happens here everyday, they collected my boy's boat three days ago and they seized his engine"
Another fisherman, Mr. Tajudeen Balogun said that, "we hear that government wants to come and construct a port here but getting to two years now we have not seen anything"
"Doing business here we have suffered a lot, the criminals on the waters are always taking what belongs to us, they collect our fishes, the engine and they still kill some of us, this happens every time"
He said that the militants cannot be contended with even though they are Nigerians.
According to him, the Ibaka River connects Calabar River where there have been increased reports of pirate activities and Efiat, and Cameroun.
A store owner, Edet Etim had also confirmed to Shipping Position Daily that the indigenes of Ibaka have not been officially notified of the intention of government to build a deepsea port at the site.
According to Etim who claimed to have settled in Ibaka for 16 years, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio only visited the proposed site once and since then there has not been any visit from government officials.
Many of the indigenes also confirmed that they have not been notified to leave their homes which are on the proposed site of the construction.
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