Army Concludes Survey of 15,000-hectare Agge Deep Seaport in Bayelsa
- Dickson inaugurates committee, says port to commence in 2020
Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
The Nigerian Army Engineering Corps, has concluded the survey of the 15,000 hectares of land set aside for the construction of the Agge Deep Seaport located in Ekeremor local council , Bayelsa State.
Governor Seriake Dickson who made the disclosure yesterday while inaugurating a 14-member project implementation committee assured prospective investors that business activities at the port would kick off before 2020.
Dickson, who expressed satisfaction with the job done by the Nigerian Army on the site of the project, said the government intended to further engage them to survey another 15, 000 hectares for the development of the Agge Port City.
“All I want to see before the end of my tenure on the 14th of February, 2020, is that some commercial port-related activity should have started in that seaport. That is why it has become necessary to put this team together.
“Already a lot of work has been done. But going forward, it is the intention of the government to create a formal platform beyond this team either by way of a state corporation, which will be established by a bill that I intend to send to the State House of Assembly.
“Or, we get the Agge Seaport Development Company registered as a corporate entity that will run the actual management of the assets of that companyâ€, the governor said.
He said he was hopeful that the federal government would fulfil its promise of granting all necessary licenses for the project, and assured the investing public of the security of their lives and investment in the area.
Dickson said the government has decided to work closely with all security agencies to build a Forward Operations Base (FOB) to provide a robust security presence in Agge.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, highlighted the benefits associated with the project to include stimulation of socio-economic activities in the state and pledged that the committee would do everything to actualise its mandate.
Members of the committee include government representatives as well as those of the Nigerian Army and Navy.
