Deep Seaport: Ibeno Tackles Oron Nation Over Project Location
The people of Ibeno local government area have joined the fray to challenge the agitation of Oron nation over the location of the deep seaport project.
Ibeno people recently came heavy on their neigbours following claim in a petition by Oron Union to the state governor, which has it that the government is relocating the Deep Seaport from Ibaka Bay to where they described as an artificial ocean created on land, speculating against digging out an artificial ocean (1km2) out of land anywhere near Oron nation and dumping the sand near Oron land and water territory.
But in their reaction in a letter by the paramount ruler, HRM Owong (Dr.) Effiong Archianga (jp) and six others, addressed to the Minister of the Transport as well as Akwa Ibom State Governor and the Chairperson of the State Technical Committee On Ibom Deep Seaport and Industrial City, Ibeno people said that the choice of Ibeno for the purpose of locating the Deep Seaport was borne out of expert studies and purely scientific considerations among which include proximity to the Deep Sea Trade Route.
The letter also notes that the seaport has proximity to the natural draught which stands at 17.5 metres natural depth, with minimal environmental and social impacts, saying soil analysis was conducted and concluded by the experts.
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| HRM Achianga |
“The choice of Ibeno for the purpose of locating the Deep Seaport was borne out of expert studies and purely scientific considerations among which include proximity to the Deep Sea Trade Route, nearness to the natural draught for the project which stands at 17.5 metres natural depth, minimal environmental and social impacts, low research and technical solutions, minimal need for soil improvement, accessibility. The soil analysis conducted by expert firms, including Transaction Advisers, FELAC Concept and Marine and Transport Business Solutions MBTS, of Netherlands, all showed that the port project would not be commercially viable if sited at Ibaka due to its long distance from the sea. Instead, after a rigorous and painstaking scientific process, MTBS had recommended Ibeno as the most suitable location for the project to the Federal Executive Council for approval,” the letter reads.
Ibeno people also view the agitation as a calculated attempt by the Oron nation to hoodwink the general public and to cast bad publicity over a project that has the capacity to place Akwa Ibom State at the world map.
On claims by Oro nation that pipelines criss-cross the area where the project is sited, Ibeno stakeholders said the ExxonMobil has two pipelines connecting from Qua Iboe Terminal to its loading bay at IDOHO platform, and that is very far away from the proposed location of the Deep Seaport, maintaining that “there is absolutely no pipeline to relocate and there is no other oil company operating near the proposed Deep Seaport area.”
©THE RIGHTS GUARDIAN
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