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| Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson |
GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has reaffirmed that the Agge Deep Sea Port remains a landmark project, which is of critical importance to the economic fortunes of the state and Nigeria in general.
He stated this on Friday, while presenting a cheque for the sum of 400 hundred million naira to the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers, led by its Commander, Brigadier General A.O Adeleke, for the survey of an additional fifteen thousand hectares of land, having already surveyed fifteen thousand hectares for the proposed project.
According to a press statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Francis Ottah Agbo, Governor Dickson, who reaffirmed that his government places high premium on security and security-related investments, and the need to build partnerships with the nation’s security services, noted that, security cannot be maintained unless the security forces work in tandem with the government and the people.
“Because of the maritime nature of our state, we have always taken the issue of supporting the security services seriously for in the end unless our waterways are protected and made safe, no amount of investment in the upland makes any meaning without a corresponding effort aimed at supporting the work that are being done in the waterways” he said.
According to the governor, the Agge deep seaport is expected to be an oil and gas hub, not only in Nigeria but in the West African sub-region, explained that the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers is also expected to construct the Forward Operation Base, which should be ready by the first half of next year.
“Because this government understands that no meaningful development can take place without the enabling security atmosphere, we want the development of the Agge deep sea port City to begin with the construction of befitting accommodation and other facilities for the men and women of all military and para-military arms living and working there,” he said.
“Once that happens, you will have the presence of the Customs, Immigration, Marine Police, Army, Navy and others in place, while the construction of the port and other commercial activities is going on”
He explained that, with the presence of the security operatives, the right atmosphere would be created for investors from within and outside Nigeria to come in freely and explore the various opportunities on ground, while calling on potential investors to indicate their interest.
The Bayelsa State Chief Executive also thanked the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai and the Nigerian Corps of Engineers for the show of commitment to ensure the project sees the light of the day.
Responding, Commander of the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers, Brigadier-General A.O Adeleke expressed confidence that the Corps would deliver as expected, describing the Agge deep-sea port project as a laudable venture, which would impact greatly on the people of the area and the state.
Brigadier-General Adeleke also noted that the Army is not only confronting insurgency in some parts of the country but aims to use the Corps of the Army to better the lives of the people and thanked the Bayelsa state government for the collaboration, which he said would help build capacity.
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