The Need For Dialogue In Resolving Ibom Deep Seaport Location Impasse

By Dr. Esio Oquong Udoh

Oron people particularly the stakeholders have been advised to embrace dialogue with the State Government in order to arrive at a solution to the Oron people particularly the Stakeholders have been advised to embrace impasse associated with the location of Ibom Deep Sea Port. It is wrong and imprudent to cast aspersion on the State Governor as seen in the numerous vituperations, some of which have gone viral trending the various platforms in the internet.

No sane Oron man can desecrate the exalted office of the Governor in any material circumstances. The character in the trending video in the internet may not be an Oron man, if proper investigations are carried Godswill Akpabio as the then Governor of Akwa Ibom State and when proper investigations were carried out it became clear that it was those who wanted to usurp the turn of Eket Senatorial District to produce the next Governor in 2015 that were involved in that deplorable episode.

The State Government is hereby called upon to seek advice from His Excellency Obong Victor Attah the Governor 1999-2007 who actually initiated the project by laying ground work during his tenure. Being an Oron man in the real sense of it, I classify this interloper as an alien in all material particular because if he is an Oron man, that Oron nature or character or imprimatur is not in him at all.

The grief, pains and disenfranchisement of Oron people are premised on non inclusiveness or severe marginalization which has become a recurrent decimal in our polity. The sour points are as follows:

1. It could be recalled that Mobil unlimited came to Oron territory in 1967 at Ibaka to be precise, but due to the War, they could not commence operations. By the time they came back in 1969, they were forced to relocate to Ibeno as it is today.
2. Apio Consulting Engineers, the consultants to NEPA viz Federal Ministry of Power in their feasibility studies had recommended 1,200mw of hydroelectricity Plant for Oron Local Government Area in the eighties, amongst others viz Egbim Power station, Shiroro Hydroelectric plant etc. When that approval was given, it was diverted to Odukpani as it is today and reduced in scope to 560mw.
3. The Port at Calabar was to be built at Ibaka in 1979, but when it was approved, the then Managing Director of NPA, Late Mkpang from Calabar diverted it to the shallow waters of Calabar. It has remained moribund since its inception.
4. Major Onoja a one time Ag. Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron had once said that Oron was like the tip of the tail of an elephant, hence MAN Oron should be moved to some other place. That fight to move MAN Oron to another place continued until General Gumel, the then Minister of Transport in Abacha Era approved landmark projects for the Academy viz Academic block, Administrative block, two main hostels for the school and the noise about this relocation seized forthwith.
5. The Ibaka Free Trade Zone was on the drawing board for years and when approval was given by the present administration, it is now called Liberty Free Trade Zone and moved to Ikot Abasi.
6. A Refinery was embarked for Oron during Buhari’s first coming as a Head of State 1983-1985 and following some wrangling in the State, with regards to location it was moved to Port Harcourt by Tam David West, the then Petroleum Minister. Hence Oron nation lost out again
7. The fifth section of East-West Road from Oron to Calabar that was awarded by Jonathan administration in 2014 has remained on the drawing board for the past seven years because no Oron son or daughter has the political latitude or leverage to push this project. So all these have made an average Oron man very sad with happenings about this Ibom Deep Sea Port location.
8. Oron nation being an oil producing area has not benefitted from the international oil companies operating in Oron territorial waters e.g Exxon-Mobil has about 80% of its platforms in Oron territorial water. Others are Addax Oil Company, Ecodril, monupoli, Total, Elf etc. There is no Corporate Social responsibility from these companies to any of the communities in Oron nation.
9. When NIMASA Act was amended in 2007 for 3% surcharge of NIMASA Annual Revenue to be reserved for Maritime Education in Nigeria, MAN Oron was supposed to be the main beneficiary, but in 2010 during Jonathan Administration, 17 Billion Naira out of Forty Billion Naira disbursed was diverted to OKOROKONKO in Delta State for a new Maritime University while MAN Oron was given a paltry sum of Two Billion Naira only and other Universities, e.g. Lagos, Ibadan, Zaria, Nsukka, and Benin were all given One Billion Naira each for Maritime Study Centres, while Minna was given Two Billion Naira as well. This was robbing Peter to pay Paul, such that the purpose of this NIMASA Act that was amended in 2007 was completely defeated.

However, I thank God that the Governor has seen the need to involve critical Oron stakeholders in the way forward to resolve this impasse. I commend Ibom Patriots for their inputs on this saga.

Oron people are peaceful in nature and Udom Emmanuel Administration must be supported to complete his tenure and deliver to us all the great things still ongoing in the State before 2023. Oron people should be mindful of Ogoni Nine versus Ogoni four which led to several deaths in Ogoni land including Ken Sero Wiwa during Abacha’s regime. The seat of Government is sacred and should be respected by all concerned.

Rt. Hon. Sir Dr. Esio Oquong Udoh JP. Ph.D is the Former Chairman, South-South Parliamentary Caucus House of Representatives, Abuja. 6^th October, 2021.