Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa on Thursday assured prospective investors that commercial port activities would commence at the Agge Deep Seaport in Ekeremor Local Government Area before the end of his administration.
Dickson gave the assurance while inaugurating a 14-member Project Implementation Committee for the Development of the Agge Deep Seaport at Government House in Yenagoa.
He said that the government had already acquired and surveyed 15,000 hectares of land for the construction of the seaport.
Dickson, who expressed satisfaction with the survey of the land by the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps, however, said the government “intends to further engage them to survey another 15, 000 hectares for the development of the Agge Port City.”
He described the committee as a team of experts with a mandate to advise and monitor technical developments that might arise from the project.
The governor that the committee was expected to come up with a realistic time-frame for achieving the state government’s set goals.
“All I want to see before the end of my tenure on February 14, 2020 is that some commercial port-related activities should have started in that seaport. That is why it has become necessary to put this team together.
“Already, a lot of work has been done. But going forward, it is the intention of this government to create a formal platform beyond this team, either by way of a state corporation which will be established by a bill that I intend to send to the State House of Assembly.
“Or, we get the Agge Seaport Development Company registered as a corporate entity that will run the actual management of the assets of that company,” Dickson said.
The governor expressed optimism that the Federal Government would fulfil its promise of granting all necessary licenses for the project and assured the investing public of the security of their lives and investments in the area.
According to him, the state government has decided to work closely with all security agencies to build a Forward Operations Base (FOB) to provide a robust security presence in Agge.
Responding, the Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee of the Agge Deep Seaport Development, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, highlighted the benefits associated with the project to include stimulation of socio-economic activities in the state.
Enisuoh, who described the project as one of the best investments of the Dickson-led administration, pledged that the committee would do everything within its reach to actualise its mandate.
Members of the committee include the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor, his Lands and Survey counterpart, Hon. Kuroakegha Dorgu, and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Mr Ere Efeke.
Others are King Frank Okoroakpo, Retired Maj. Lance Anyanya, Mr Joseph Ambakederemo, Retired Capt. Suona Offor, and Mr Godwin Konyefa.
Also in the Committee are representatives of the Nigerian Army, Navy and the Ministries of Trade and Justice with the Director of Works, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, to serve as the secretary.
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