Ibom Deep Seaport: Udom defuses tension, accommodates Oron interest in implementation

JOE EFFIONG

The perennial controversies and frenzies surrounding the establishment and siting of Ibom Deep Seaport in Ibom LGA of Akwa Ibom State appear to have been laid to rest at the interim, following the expansion of the  technical committee to accommodate host community interest by Gov Udom Emmanuel.

The multi-billion dollar project initially billed to be sited at Ibaka, was later shifted to Unyenghe, still at the Atlantic coast of Mbo LGA of the state.

Some section of Oron (Oro) ethnic nationality in the state fearing that the project had been taken away from the enclave, allegedly wrote petitions against it, forcing some investors from China to back off from it.

Gov Emmanuel agonizing over the development  in a media interview to mark the 34^th anniversary of the state last week, particularly mentioned Oron Union, an umbrella socio-political organization of the Oro people as the  arrowhead of  the against siting of the project at Unyeghe as well as the change of its name from the initial Ibaka Deep Sea Port to Ibiom Deep Sea Port.

But after leading the hierarchs Oron Union headed by Bishop Etim Ante to visit the site of the port resulting in the Union recanting some of the expressed opposition to the project,  Emmanuel  has equally approved the enlargement of the Technical Committee on the Implementation of the seaport by the addition of four more persons, to accommodate the input of the host communities.

The  decision to accommodate Oro interest, according to state government press release signed by the state commissioner for information and strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong,  emanated from a meeting between the State Government and representatives of the Oro people held at Government House, Uyo. The four names are to be submitted by the Chairman Oro Steering Committee, Dr Etim Uye.

Uye speaking on behalf of Oro people, as the Chairman of the Oro Steering Committee, disowned the vexatious audio and apologised to the governor on the embarrassment that might have arisen therefrom. They communicated their preparedness to receive and support the deep sea port project and other projects attracted to their area by the Governor.

In attendance from Oro side at the meeting were AIG Asuquo Amba, ChrisAbasi Eyo, Chief Otu Ita Toyo, Mr Ita Awak, Ikpoto Okon Osung, Chief Effiong Afiakurue, Dr Etim Amba, Prof. Eka Uwe, Ita oboho ,John Ntekim, Ezekiel Ibok and Omen Bassey.

On the state government side were Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Aniekan Bassey, The State Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Deep Sea Port, Mr. Akan Okon, Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the representative of the Traditional Institution, HRM Edidem Raymond Inyang and the representative of Socio-cultural groups, Akparawa Patrick Udofia, were also in attendance.