The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Housing and Special Duties, Mr. Akan Okon has assured that the Ibom Deep Sea Port project has reached a very critical stage that would lead to commencement of actual construction.
The commissioner gave the indication while addressing newsmen on arrival at Uyo Akwa Ibom state from a meeting of the Ministerial project development steering committee to approve the procurement procedure for the Ibom deep sea port.
Mr Okon stated that the meeting signaled a very critical stage in the project and had in attendance representatives of the Ministry of Transportation, Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Ports Authority and the transaction advisers.
The Commissioner noted that with the approval given, EOI and the IFQ for the project will be issued, even as he added that the Ibom Deep Sea Port development project is a very technical project which was quite different from other projects and therefore had to follow due process to ensure an excellent port that will be appreciated by all.
Furthermore, he stressed that the port was not just an Akwa Ibom project but a national and African project which will earn revenue for the federal government, employ Nigerians and provide huge economic benefits for other neighbouring African countries due to proximity when it comes on stream.
When asked for specifics as to when the project will commence having been in the pipeline for many years the Commissioner said that 75% of the work had been done pending actual take-off of the project. "Go and find out, when any project reaches the procurement stage, you can be sure that 70-75% of the work has been done. A lot of paper work is involved for the actual construction", he said.
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