Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has sought the support and assistance of President Bola Tinubu, on developmental projects and programmes in the state, particularly the Ibom deep seaport project.
The governor made the appeal when he visited President Tinubu at the State House Abuja on Wednesday night to brief the President on the progress that Akwa Ibom State has made in the last seven months of his administration.
Governor Eno who disclosed that the Ibom Deep Seaport project would meet the maritime needs of the South-south and Southeast region, noted that the President had directed him to submit a memorandum for all the projects he made the requests on.
He explained that the Ibom Deep Seaport has the deepest wharf with the capacity to bring in ships from across the world.
He said, “The President is the father and leader of the nation and as a father and leader, he is entitled to know what goes on in every part of this country especially in a very important and strategic State like Akwa Ibom.
“Then following that, we also have a request. We’ve talked and requested him to support us with our Ibom Deep Seaport and agricultural programme on the oil palm.
“Ibom Deep Seaport has the deepest wharf that will bring in ships and we can ship from that point. Again, Lagos is there, but you also know Lagos is congested. Of course, that is no story. So you need a deep seaport that will take care of the Southeast, South-south, if you like, the Niger Delta region.”
The governor also disclosed that Akwa Ibom was targeting increased production in palm oil which will lead to export, hence the reason why he needs the support of the federal government to revamp the state’s moribund oil palm industry.
“Akwa Ibom is an oil palm zone and we have started the process of revamping the moribund industry that has laid there for 28 years. It is being revamped right now. We need the support of the federal government to be able to have a full value-chain and then bring people to work and be able to help Nigeria.
“We can even get to exporting palm oil, because right now, we’re still importing a lot of it. So that’s why I came and it was a good visit,” the governor said.
