The Chairman of the Oron Advisory Committee on the Ibaka Deep Seaport, Engr. Okon Nkpubre, has faulted Governor Umo Eno’s recent appeal to the people of Oron Nation over the lingering Ibom Deep Seaport controversy, insisting that the state’s position on the matter does not accurately reflect the concerns of the people.
Responding to the Governor’s plea in a statement released at the weekend, Nkpubre said Oron Nation has consistently supported the establishment of a deep seaport in Akwa Ibom State but remains opposed to what it considers the unjustified relocation of the project from its originally approved site at Ibaka Bay.
The former maritime advocate noted that Oron people do not object to the change of the project’s name from Ibaka Deep Seaport to Ibom Deep Seaport, stressing that their opposition is solely directed at the movement of the project from its preferred location and the adoption of the Dugout Deep Seaport concept.
Nkpubre revealed that he had previously engaged former Commissioner for Ibom Deep Seaport, Mr. Ini Ememobong, on the matter and forwarded documents detailing the concerns of Oron stakeholders, urging that the Governor be properly briefed on the issues surrounding the project.
According to him, the position of Oron Nation was clearly articulated in a petition endorsed by the Paramount Rulers of the five local government areas that make up Oron Nation, alongside several eminent sons and daughters of the area.
He explained that stakeholders opposed plans to excavate approximately 1.5 square kilometres of land to a depth of 18 metres to create an artificial harbour for a Dugout Deep Seaport, describing the proposal as environmentally and technically contentious.
Nkpubre also dismissed claims that Oron people were responsible for the withdrawal of Bolloré of France, the project’s preferred core investor.
He stated that Oron stakeholders merely petitioned the company after their concerns over the relocation of the project failed to receive adequate attention from the state government.
The committee chairman further challenged assertions that the proposed Ibeno Seaside location is within Oron territory, maintaining that the site lies entirely within the political boundaries of Ibeno Local Government Area.
Tracing the history of the project, Nkpubre recalled that the Federal Government had announced plans in 2011 to establish a Deep Seaport at Ibaka, accompanied by a Mega Shipyard and a Free Trade Zone, following studies that identified the area as one of the most suitable maritime locations in the country.
He noted that a Ministerial Steering Committee and Project Delivery Team later conducted comprehensive due diligence studies and selected Okposo in Ibaka Bay as the preferred site for the project.
According to him, feasibility studies conducted on the selected location projected a development cost of about $2 billion and positioned the project as a potentially transformative maritime hub for Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
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Nkpubre argued that the relocation of the project deprived the state of the opportunity to develop what could have become one of the largest integrated maritime infrastructure projects in West Africa, complete with facilities for the integration and maintenance of Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) and supertankers. Citing a 2015 technical study on Ibaka Bay, he maintained that the original location possessed favourable natural depth characteristics suitable for deep seaport operations with minimal dredging requirements.
He also questioned the credibility of a site-selection report used to justify the relocation of the project, alleging that the assessment process lacked the scientific rigour and statistical methodology required for such a major infrastructure decision.
While expressing disappointment over the handling of the project, Nkpubre commended Governor Umo Eno’s humility and leadership disposition, urging him to revisit the concerns raised by Oron stakeholders in the interest of fairness, justice and sustainable development.
He said the future of the Ibom Deep Seaport should be guided by objective technical considerations and the findings of established due diligence studies rather than political considerations.
The Ibom Deep Seaport project has remained one of the most debated development initiatives in Akwa Ibom State, with disagreements over its location continuing to generate intense discussions among stakeholders across the state.
