The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has said that the Federal Government is set to make a ‘Port Declaration’ of the proposed Ondo Deep Sea Port to herald the commencement of other processes at the port.

The Minister gave this indication yesterday when the Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), paid him a visit in Abuja.

The minister commended the steps so far taken by the state government to prepare for the port declaration.

A statement by the Director, Press & PR, Eric Ojiekwe, said: “After listening to a technical presentation by the Consultants to the Ondo State Government, the Minister said once all the prerequisites established by the extant laws were met, the federal government will not hesitate to make Port Ondo Declaration, pursuant to Section 30 of the Ports Act.”

“We want to see this port come to life before the end of this administration,” the Minister said, adding that having another deep sea port would do a lot of good to the blue economy policy of the Federal Government.

On the lingering issue of flurry of sea ports in the country, Sambo said it was actually a positive thing as the presence of the Atlantic Ocean, the Rivers Niger and Benue put the country on a better pedestal to harness, explore and export its rich minerals to other countries.

According to the Minister, there were only two deep sea ports in Nigeria. He noted that while all others were river ports, including Apapa and Tin-Can ports, the development of the Deep Sea Port in Ondo was a welcome development to the country at large.

Speaking earlier, Akeredolu said the reason for the visit was to acquaint the Transport Ministry with the vision of the State Government on the development of deep seaport in Ilaje area of Ondo in accordance with the federal government's module of Public Private Partnership.

Akeredolu, who said the port would bring enormous socio- economic benefits to the Federal Government, the State and the host communities, added Dubai Port, China Habour were among the many international partners who have signalled their interest in developing the port.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, said Ondo State Government has made a compelling case for the port and thanked the Transport Minister, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, for his support.

According to Adegoroye, the Minister was a seasoned technocrat, having ventured across board, the Nigerian Ports Authority and the National Inland Waterways and does not need the conviction of others as to the importance of the Port Ondo project.

Adegoroye therefore assured the Ondo Governor that Transport Ministry would attach priority to the project as he himself had earlier stated that he would like to see the Port come to life before the end of his tenure as Minister.

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