The Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, yesterday disclosed that the construction of the state deep seaport would commence in three or four months.
Ayade said this in an interview with State House correspondents shortly after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The governor said he was at the Presidential Villa to give Buhari updates on the two projects, the seaport and the super highway.
He said preliminary and detailed designs had been completed while the document and inauguration of the steering committee were being done.
He said the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, would be inaugurating the steering committee later in the day.
He said, “We will have that inauguration as soon as I leave here. And once that happens, the consultancy component will start towards issuing the OPC which will be used to present to the Federal Executive Council for a full business and approval so that construction will start.
“We see that happening in the next three or four months with the speed and tempo I am getting from the government.
“On the super highway’s issues of the EIA, I had a meeting with the Minister of Environment. It was part of what I briefed Mr. President and she has shown so much energy and enthusiasm.
“While ensuring she protects the environment, I have reached a critical point of understanding on the way forward.
“Two projects are going on simultaneously. Almost one year when we got into office, having reached this stage, it is obvious that in four months, there would be full construction.”
Ayade said the seaport would create at least 30,000 jobs for the people of the state.
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