By Joseph ETTA in Calabar
An APC stalwart, Barr. Efa Edem has given Kudos to president Muhamadu Buhari over the official approval for the Bakassi Deep Seaport.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government last Monday issued Outline Business Case Certificate (OBC) for the Bakassi Deep Seaport project being undertaken by the Cross River State Government.
Speaking to Daybreak in Calabar yesterday, the APC chieftain describe it a good development where if judiciously completed would stimulate the economy of the state and equally attract investors to the state.
When asked if he is sure the project will be completed in recorded time, he noted that it’s Government developmental project and government is a continuous process, if he cannot finish it in the life time of his administration, the next administration will equally finish it. The project is a government project and not Ayade as individual.
Efa, who was a former strong grass root canvasser and supporter of PDP, before defecting to APC, when asked by Daybreak of the possibilities of the state raising such a huge resources to finance the project, he observed that Cross River State alone cannot do it, its National/Federal project that would be of immense economic benefit to the state and Nigeria in general. So “we in the state pleads with the Federal government for support.”
Meanwhile, Governor Ben Ayade has stated that the Bakassi Deep Seaport initiated by his administration would be of immense economic benefit of the state and Nigeria in general. Ayade said that the super highway would provide a link between the North and Bakassi Deep Seaport and boost transportation of farm produce.
According to the initiator of the project Prof. Ben Ayade, the Bakassi Deep Seaport is the only port in Nigeria that has an evacuation corridor, “that you have a port in Bakassi with six lanes super highway linking you directly to Northern Nigeria.” So what Cross River id trying to do is to take the Atlantic Ocean closer to Northern part of Nigeria particularly the North East and North West cannot see the desired prosperity unless they gain access to the seaport.
When actual construction would commence at the seaport, Ayade said; work stated there more than six months ago when we got the EIA approval at which allowed us the legal right to get access to the ocean. But right now, with this UBA certificate, we are going to be dealing directly with the concessionaires toward arriving at the specific location, data and commencement of actual work plans. But that can only be done with the FBS.
However, Barr. Efa a strong party stalwart of the ruling APC, when asked why he is supporting the Governor and happy with him over this project starting, “at the Federal level, I am sympathetic with Buhari, but at the state level, “I sympathize with the governor.”
