A new ground is being broken in the area of actualizing the dream of Ibom Deep Seaport and the Ibom Industrial City. The situation has in the last few years of Gov Udom Emmanuel’s administration moved from talking to action. This informs why many have averred, with sufficient reasons, that Akwa Ibom State is blessed with visionary leaders who have, since creation of the state 30 years ago, striven to put in their best. Such leaders have received both national and international commendations as attestations to their outstanding leadership qualities. One of such is one by the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on Governor Udom Emmanuel. The Vice President who was on official mission to state to commission the Syringe Factory had told Governor Emmanuel: “You are one of the cleverest persons I’ve ever come across. I want to appreciate you for the innovation and creativity and for encouraging these investors.”
Indeed, commendations such as above, especially coming from a leader of a ruling party to an opposition party governor can be very elating. This is more so, knowing that the area now known and called Akwa Ibom State has been and still is identified as ‘pacesetter’ state in many endeavours in Nigeria. Above is the reason why stories of Ibom Deep Seaport, just like other development strides about the state can be told in syllables and phases of conception, unbroken pursuit of the dreams and undying resolve not to abandon any project conceived for the benefit of the state. This never say die spirit informs why the Ibom Deep Seaport has been on the front burner since its conception about seven years ago till now.
Many have even feared that consistent placement of the project on the front burner without action was capable of eroding its value and even actualization. But this is even why the story is told in many parts. It was first given life to in 2011, as the then governor of the state, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, now the Senate minority leader, took the project proposals to the Nigerian Ports Consultative meeting in Uyo. He told the meeting that his government had concluded plans to dualize the Ibaka Road for a specific purpose. The purpose, the governor informed the meeting, and proudly so, was that Akwa Ibom State was spurred to fast-track work on the surveying and parcelling out of land where the “Ibaka Deep-Seaport”, as initially christened, would be sited.
This effort was earlier supported by the former President Goodluck Jonathan on a visit to the state where he pledged to support the state efforts for siting such a project in an area “with comparative advantage”.
In his word, “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”, the obviously elated Governor Akpabio had promised. The seaport project was to be delivered for operation by 2015, about five years after the conception.
Until the conception of this project, the Ibaka expansive waterfront was known to be famous in the production of sea foods and thriving in other water-based businesses that are still booming up to this day. Investigation has revealed that even as at October 2013 (about two years after) when BMWA visited Ibaka on a fact-finding tour, nothing was reported to be on ground to suggest that government was contemplating siting a port of that magnitude in the area. This of course was despite the media hype that circulated all over the country and beyond, that the seaport was actually under construction and would be delivered two years later (2015). In fact, settlers in the fishing outpost reportedly confessed hearing about the project for the very first time. The condition of the narrow lonely road leading to Ibaka was then still most deplorable, translating, as written by one commentator on the project that “the magic year has come and gone without the seaport.”
Indeed, it remained so until the coming of Gov Udom Emmanuel in 2015 when he decided to change the concept of media hype to action. And so, in less than one month after being sworn in, Gov Emmanuel on June 11, 2015, inaugurated a 10-man Technical Committee for the realization of the Ibom Deep Seaport project. The new committee was given a dual task of overseeing the development of the Ibom Deep Seaport and the Ibom Industrial City as two separate projects by the government.
The committee chaired by Mrs Mfon Usoro, a former director-general of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, has Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, now secretary to the state government (SSG), Mr Chidi Izuwah, Mr Idongesit Udofa, Ekong Umo-Otong, Rear Admiral Francis Akpan, Aniekan Ukpanah, Mr. Charles Udonwah, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi and Mr Etido Inyang as members.
This drive is said to be in line with the Akwa Ibom state government under Deacon Udom Emmanuel to realize its industrialization plans, as the Governor is said to be very keen on not only implementing the Ibom Deep Seaport project but also the Ibom Industrial City as projects through a public private partnership arrangement. The Ibom Industrial City project according to available information will be solely owned and managed by Akwa Ibom. Both projects are now over 75 per cent of the enormous paper work required for the projects. The Akwa Ibom State commissioner for housing and special duties, Mr Akan Okon, told newsmen in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, late last month that the paper work on the Ibom Deep Seaport project had been 75 per cent completed.
Hear him, “I want to thank the governor, because when he came on board, he brought in the private sector experience in project execution by setting up a committee made up of experienced people in the maritime industry to pilot the realization of the Deep Seaport project. For such project, a lot of paper work is involved prior to the commencement of the construction work. So far, 75 per cent of the paper work has been achieved. For the first time the committee has been able to push this project to a critical level; a major milestone has been achieved. And I must commend the committee headed by Mrs Mfon Usoro, a former director-general of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for a job well done”. The cheering story now is that the project is at the level where actual construction is to begin.
This follows the advertisement of the Request for Qualification (RFQ) from reputable private sector port operators. It is to be handled in partnership with the Akwa Ibom State government and the Federal Government. Request for Qualification (RFQ) is a major critical step towards the implementation of the Ibom Deep Seaport project. It is believed to be one of the most promising public- private partnership (PPP) initiatives in Africa because of the several multiplier effects it will create in Nigeria and other African nations. Meanwhile, procurement process for the commencement of work at the seaport has reportedly begun. The process requires private sector players signifying interest in financing the development of the port. A statement by the promoters of port, transhipment container market for the IDSP is estimated to grow from about 1.2 million Ten Equavelent Units (TEUs) in 2021 to about four million TEUs in 2040. The report said that when the port is fully developed, the container terminals will be able to accommodate up to 13 New Panamax Class container vessels and two very large feeder vessels.
The Ibom Deep Seaport is strategically located on a 2,565 hectares Greenfield Port area which is designed for New Panamax Class vessels with channel (18.24m); turning basin and berth depth (16.72m) and quay length of about 7.5 km. The project is said to be in an enviable position to emerge as the first major transshipment hub for the region. The promoters, in a statement were quoted as saying that the proposed port is strategic “Due to its proximity to target markets in West and Central Africa, neighbouring hinterland countries and major shipping lines.”
The chairman of the Seaport and Industrial City Projects committee Mrs Usoro, in an interview she granted Sunday Vanguard after the inauguration of her committee had enumerated benefits of the seaport among which she said include bringing back all Nigerian-bound cargoes to the port (see full interview on page 22) Source: http://www.pioneernewsonline.com/news/ibom-deep-seaport-the-journey-so-far |
