Ayade receives Bakassi Deep Seaport concept design as construction work begins soon

Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade (L) with the representative of the Managing Director, China Harbour Construction Company, Mr. Jason Wang (R) in a geo-technical analysis session on the Bakassi Deep Seaport in Carlsbad yesterday

Ahead of the full commencement of construction work on the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport, Cross River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade yesterday, received the concept design from a Chinese firm, China Harbour Engineering Company.

During a 3-D presentation by a team of Chinese engineers led by Mr. Jason Wang, Governor Ayade announced that full scale construction work will begin as soon as the rains subside.

“Today presents us the great opportunity in the history of our state as we forge ahead in the process of the actualization of the Bakassi Deep Seaport,  the governor assured,”

Continuing he said: “The port is viable, the characteristics are hydraulics and all the studies, even the barometric and geotechnical is completed, design complex is finalized and once government gives approval, all the detailed designs will be ready in no distant time and construction will start on the onset of the next dry season.”

Highlighting some of the special features of the port, Ayade stated: “The special advantage of our Bakassi deep seaport is its access to a wide amalgam of great opportunity via the 275 kilometers evacuation corridor and therefore I will call on the patience of the people of Cross River State, the commitment, will and the prayers of everyone to ensure that this noble project comes to its realization.

"Obviously, this special deep seaport has its own privileges. The key privilege is that it has a huge potential for our bank cargo which is lacking in other ports in Africa today. The huge vast agricultural land mass of over 231,000 square kilometers allows for massive cultivation and export of cash crops, including agricultural products and produce thereby becoming very clear that it is going to be vital.”

He further explained: “The massive deposit of solid minerals in the northern part of Nigeria which has remained landlocked and unexploited occasioned by the difficulty of getting into a maritime corridor will be resolved with this project.

This project naturally means that the government and people of Cross River State are taking their Atlantic coast to northern Nigerian by taking the Atlantic Ocean 275 kilometers into the hinterland of Nigeria,  bringing it to the very corridor of Nassarawa State.”

While lauding the Chinese firm for delivering on a world class design for the project Ayade said

“working closely with China Harbour, we have come to the understanding that they are a great team, a perfect team, a world class, number one company in harbor designs and construction, currently handling similar projects in Nigeria and some parts of Africa.

“As a leading construction company when it comes to harbour designs and construction, Cross River State is therefore bringing to you the very best to deliver on this life changing project that will transform the economic landscape of the state as we commence construction of the first phase of the project,” he stressed.

Justifying government's involvement in the business aspect of the port, Ayade said:

“The Chinese Harbour where government is fully involved in running its businesses has become very evident that that is the way forward which is why our government and indeed the people of Cross River State are focused on creating an alternative income by decoupling ourselves from over dependence on federal government allocation. It is against that background, that the Bakassi deep seaport with an evacuation corridor is done.

“We will soon be going for initial public placement, where we will be asking for subscriptions when we go through the security and exchange commission to allow every Cross Riverian to be equity owner of this Bakassi deep seaport according to their carrying capacity,” Ayade hinted.

Earlier, the Managing Director, China Harbour Engineering Company, Mr. Jason Wang who described the port as very viable, given its location promised to deploy their expertise to Calabar to deliver on the project.