The Save The Nation Movement (STNM) has hailed the dismissal of the
petition by the Oron Union against the establishment of the Ibom Deep
Seaport Project, in Akwa Ibom State.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, by its National Secretary,
Comrade Stevens Chilaka, the STNM said dismissal of the Oron Union
petition by the Federal Ministry of Transportation has vindicated the
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, and demonstrated the Federal
Government’s commitment to the development of the country.
The Ibom Deep Seaport project, which is expected to create hundreds of
jobs and recently approved by the Federal Government had been mired in
dispute over the location and alleged name change.
The Oron Nation had been opposed to the project due to its alleged
relocation from the original Ibaka site in Mbo local government area
of the state to another location in Ibeno local government area. The
Oron Nation also kicked against the change of name of the project from
Ibaka Deep Seaport to Ibom Deep Seaport.
But the state government has insisted the port project is best suited
at the new location in Ibeno.
However, laying to rest the protest by the Oron Union, the Federal
Ministry of Transportation wrote a letter dated April 22, 2021.
The letter, referencing the Petition number: IDSP/ 02/21/ MOT, titled;
“Illegal Relocation of Ibaka Deep Seaport from Ibaka Bay to Ibeno
Bay” was signed on behalf of the Minister by AD Suleiman, Director of
Maritime Services.
It reads in part; “the Ministry conducted an extensive in-depth
investigations into the matter with the view to establishing the
veracity or otherwise of the allegation. The petition was consequently
found to be lacking in merit, and unsupportive of the reality on
ground.
“Accordingly, you are enjoined to advise Oron Union to cooperate and
support Akwa Ibom State Government in its quest to successfully and
timely execute the project for the overall interest of the citizens of
the State and the Nigerian economy.”
In its reaction, the STNM described as unpatriotic, those who went
about casting aspersion on the person of the governor for accusing the
Oron Union of writing unfounded, spurious and unsubstantiated
petitions to scuttle the Ibom Deep Seaport Project.
The STNM posited that now that letter from the Ministry of
Transportation dismissing the petition is in public domain, those who
said Governor Udom Emmanuel did not put the facts right and that the
Oron Union did not write petitions to scuttle the project need to
apologise to the Governor.
