Akwa Ibom state governor, Umo Eno, on Wednesday, met with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, to make a couple of requests, including federal government’s collaboration in the development of the Ibom Deep Seaport project.
Governor Eno, who said his primary reason for the visit was to wish President Tinubu Happy New Year, saying he sought his assistance in his state’s efforts at reviving the moribund state-owned oil palm project, which had been in limbo for about 28 years.
Governor Eno, who explained that the Ibom Deep Seaport project would meet the maritime needs of the South-south and Southeast region, however disclosed that the President had directed him to submit a memorandum for the projects he made the requests on.
According to him, the Ibom Deep Seaport has the deepest wharf that has the capacity to bring in ship from across the globe while it also serve Niger-Delta Region of Nigeria.
“The purpose of my visit to the President is to wish him a happy new year and also make a request. You know when governors come to see the President, this is the seat of government, you have one or two things to talk about.
“So, wishing the President a happy New Year was paramount for us and we pray that God will keep him in good health and continue to give him the strength to carry on his work as the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“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 ship 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. Thank you all”, he said.
On the request for federal government’s assistance in the efforts to revamp the oil palm project, he said Akwa Ibom is targeting increased production, which can lead to capacity to export palm oil
“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.”
Responding to a question on how President Tinubu received him and his request, as well as the concerns expressed over the viability of the state-run airliner, Ibom Sir, the governor said “the President has graciously granted that I bring the memo for the requests and including MRO of course.
“The president is a businessman, he had to also ask, are we making profits running Ibom air because government as to business and government I told him government is completely out of the running of Ibom Air.
“Ibom Air is making profit and they are ploughing it back for expansion and the airport facility, the second taxiway is on, we have the new terminal, we have the MRO and he was pleased to hear that.
“We need to partner with the federal government of course, to get work going in the state. Akwa Ibom is part of Nigeria, he is the President of Nigeria, he needs to know how one of his component states is doing. I just came for normal briefing though.”
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