Ibom Deep Seaport: AKSG,Oron Union Visit Project Site,Call For Calm
Akwa Ibom State Government and the leadership of Oron Union have called for calm and decorum over recent agitations and tensions over the purported relocation of the Ibom Deep Seaport from Mbo Local Government Area to another location and renaming of the project from “Ibaka to Ibom Deep Seaport.”
The State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel made the call while on the tour of the proposed site of the Seaport in Unyenge in Mbo, in company of the leadership of Oron Union to clarify issues surrounding the project.
The tour which took-off from Oron town, drove through Etebi-Enwang road to the Universal Energy base, down to the project site and then moved farther towards the seashore, to the left where the seaport is to be sited, featured intermittent stoppages for map tracing, explanations and admonition to maintain peace and cooperate with the State Government to enable timely commencement of the mouthering project.
The State Governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, said the purpose of the visit was to reaffirm to Oron People that the seaport is in Unyenge in Mbo Local Government Area.
Related: A’Ibom Gov’t Parleys Oro People Over Ibom Seaport Implementation
He said, “The underlying reason that got people from the Oron axis agitated was the speculation that the seaport is now sited in Ibeno and the purpose of this visit was to buttress what the Governor said that the seaport is in Unyeñge which is in Mbo, and Mbo is in Oro Nation. Except you want to say that Mbo is not in Oro Nation, then you can say Oron has been cheated out of hosting the Deep Seaport.
“The essence of the visit is to say there is no cause for alarm. What the governor said is correct: the seaport is in Unyenge and Unyenge is in Mbo and Mbo is in Oro Nation of Akwa Abasi Ibom State. So why the agitations, why the tension, why the hullabaloo when there should be none?
“The deep seaport area is part of the planned Ibom Industrial City (IIC) which has been taken over by Government. It is going to be a city with industrial estate, schools, hospitals, skills acquisition centres, places of worship and entertainment. It is going to be a full city on its own and is going to be in Akwa Ibom State and the deep seaport will be part of it.”
The Governor’s representative clarified that the slight shift which is being viewed as location change was informed by scientific data derived by experts in the geotechnical studies of the area, to establish an area with a depth that can enable ocean liners to berth at the seaport.
Related: AKSG Sets Up Interface Committee As Hope Brightens For Ibom Deep Seaport
On agitations arising from the change of name, he explained that the word Ibom is a pan Akwa Ibom word,which has been adopted as a brand as seen in most of the state owned properties.
According to him, such agitations should not have arisen and cited examples of the Ibom Icon Hotels and Golf Resort in Uruan, Ibom Air, Ibom Power Plant in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State State University in Ikot Akpaden, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic in Ikot Osurua and other government’s owned properties named by the brand and not the community where the projects are located.
He said as the State Governor is building infrastructure for interconnectivity and economic growth, people in various parts of the state should grow out of tendencies of segregation and build the social infrastructure of human bonding, thereby owning every part of the state together.
According to him, the state is blessed with a government that works very hard to make sure the various parts are interconnected, such that one can travel from any part of the state to Uyo in an hour or less.
He assured of the commitment of Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration to construct access roads to the project site to ease envisaged seaport traffic, noting that the road projects have already been captured in the 2022 budget of the State.
He added that Governor Udom Emmanuel would not go through tedious processes of securing approval for the seaport and then leave the access roads unattended to.
The President-General, Oron Union, Bishop Etim Ante, on behalf of Akpakip Oro People, commended Governor Udom Emmanuel’s concerted efforts which led to the Federal Government’s approval of the Deep seaport and called for cooperation of all sons and daughters of the area to make the project realisable.
Related: Ibeno Stakeholders Applaud Federal, Akwa Ibom Gov’ts For Siting Ibom Deep Seaport In Ibeno
Bishop Ante pointed out that the tour of the project site has confirmed the location of the seaport in Unyenge, saying that having established the location, this should allay fears and doubts earlier perceived that the seaport has been moved to another location.
The Leader of the apex socio-cultural organisation in Oron land, further called on the Unyenge community and Oro Nation not to be involved in actions that will be inimical to the peace, progress and economic growth which the project will yield at commencement.
‘’…I am the one saddled with the responsibility of speaking the minds of Oron People globally no matter whose ox is gored without any fear of contradiction, but our actions should not be seen as that which is inimical to the peace and progress of Oron and Akwa Ibom State”, he stated.
According to the President General, since action speaks louder than words, the state government should as an intervention measure while awaiting the implementation of the 2022 budget, move equipment to site and practically commence the construction of access roads from Unyenge that will capture the heart of Oron town to Uyo to assuage the agitations and tensions of Oro people.
Bishop Ante therefore appealed to members of the public to stop making inciting and derogatory remarks against constituted authorities in the state, saying no meaningful development thrives in an atmosphere of rancour.
