News: Ondo Deep Seaport to Create 20,000 Job Opportunities

Ondo State Government - The new deep seaport being conceptualized by the Ondo State Government with some private investors is expected to open up the economy of the state and create job opportunities for up to 20,000 people in the coastal area.

The partners, a Spanish firm, Ocean Infrastructure Management (OIM) and its Nigerian partner, Franchise and Business Solutions Limited (FBS) will on Thursday, meet with Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu in Akure over the Deep Seaport project as well as on the presentation and adoption of the Project Implementation Plan for the Deep Seaport spelling out milestones and timelines for the completion.

Consultant to Ondo State Government on the Deep Seaport Project, Amiable Consultancy and Logistics Services Limited, said in Lagos at the weekend that the project has continued to enjoy the interests of international investors from various parts of the world.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of Amiable Consultancy and Logistics Services, Ms. Aina Egharevba, said the deep seaport, said some key milestones, including the preparation of the port feasibility study; conducting preliminary surveys such as the bathymetric/hydrographic survey and geotechnical survey; soil resistivity test, Met-Ocean studies; and topographic survey for the deep seaport have been successfully achieved.

She said the feasibility study and conceptual master plan for the new port have been approved by the NPA. Egharevba, who is a former Executive Director, Marine and Operations of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), said the Spanish team would also carry out a review of key project issues and establishing common understanding of the project objectives with officials of the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ODIPA).

“After this meeting, we will be moving to the next crucial stage, which is the development of the Outline Business Case (OBC) and Final Business Case (FBC) for this all-important project. We are committed to working with officials of the Ondo State Government to realize the full vision of the governor for the deep seaport,” she said.

Akeredolu had earlier in The Netherlands, said that the Ondo Deep Seaport project is an investment in the future of the state. “We are doing things for the generation to come. I have always believed that there should be a beginning. We have started; there is no going back.

“I was privileged to travel with President Buhari to The Netherlands. We went on a boat and visited the ports. I told him, if anything like this must happen in Nigeria, it must be in Ondo State. Not only that, the President has said it most of the times that he knows that Ondo is the right place for a deep-sea port.“We should not play politics with everything. It is not our making but providence has put us where we are today. Where we are today, is the best place to have a deep-sea port,” he stated.

Source: The Guardian