Reps Push For Ibom Deep Seaport

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and different applicable agencies to enactment retired modalities for the constitution of the Ibom Deep Seaport successful Akwa Ibom state.

This followed the adoption of a question sponsored by Hon. Unyime Idem and 9 others astatine plenary yesterday.

Moving the motion, the lawmaker noted that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) projected that the Ibom Deep Seaport could pull investments worthy implicit 5.6 cardinal dollars; however, the task was stalled.

He said if the task is actualised, it volition stimulate section economies, make employment, catalyse concern growth, fortify maritime worth chains and facilitate the implementation of Export Processing Zone (EPZ) blueprints.

Idem stated that Nigeria’s immense coastline and Akwa Ibom State’s strategical determination connected the Atlantic Ocean connection immense imaginable for export-driven economical enlargement done the constitution of the Ibom Deep Seaport.

“Regrettably, a 2020 Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) study estimated that the Niger Delta suffer astir 1.2 cardinal dollars annually owed to larboard inefficiencies.

“The bluish system presently contributes astir 2% to Nigeria’s GDP, and with the President’s strategical connection to rise this to betwixt 5% and 10%, the realisation of the Ibom Deep Seaport would beryllium a large operator successful achieving this goal.

“Nigeria’s existing larboard capacity, estimated astatine 1.7 trillion TEUs, is overstretched, starring to congestion, shipment delays, and accrued costs of doing business, which hampers export competitiveness and limits nationalist economical growth.

“Worried that the revival of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, projected to boost intra-African commercialized from 18% to 52% by 2030 (according to UNECA), further underscores the request for expanded maritime infrastructure specified arsenic the Ibom Deep Seaport,” helium added.