Bureaucracies won’t slow Bakassi seaport project, says Oyetola

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has assured Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, that he would not allow bureaucracies to slow down the actualisation of the Bakassi Deep Seaport project.

In a post via his X handle on Wednesday, an aide to the minister, Ismail Omipidan, quoted the minister to have given the assurance when he received the governor on a courtesy visit to his office.

Oyetola noted that the natural depth of the seaport, which the Cross River Government put between 17 to 21 meters deep, would reduce the cost of capital dredging.

The former Osun State Governor added that once the deep seaport comes up, it would place Nigeria as the hub of trans-shipment in the African region.

“Because of the low drought of our major seaports, most large containers that are meant for Nigeria are diverted to other African countries.

“So, I see the project as a welcome development and I assure you that we would drive the project as fast as you want, and I assure you, bureaucracy will not have a way here,” the minister added.

On his part, Otu said he was at the ministry to seek the collaboration of the minister to see to the fruition of the Bakassi Deep seaport Project, under a public-private partnership model.

He noted that the project was part of the state’s strategic integrated infrastructure plan to promote and facilitate trade around that corridor, to stimulate the state economy in particular and that of Nigeria in general.

While commending the minister for laying a solid foundation in the ministry, the governor noted that with the private sector background of the minister, he was not in doubt about the success of the Bakassi Deep Seaport Project.

The minister was joined by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Oloruntola Olufemi, to receive the Cross River State Governor’s delegation.