Indications that President Bola Tinubu had bought into the dredging of the Oguta/Orashi River up to the Atlantic Ocean emerged on Monday when Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State who initiated the project received the hydrographic and comprehensive survey report from the leadership of the Nigerian Navy.
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Hydrological Agency, Rear Admiral Hassan Kaoje, led a team of top Naval officers to submit the report to Uzodimma at the Government House, Owerri, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku.
The dredging of the Oguta Lake to Orashi River and to the Atlantic Ocean was flagged off by former President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by his deputy, former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on May 12, 2023.
Receiving the report at the New Executive Council Chambers Government House Owerri, Uzodimma expressed delight receiving the report and described the project as very dear to him.
Uzodimma who thanked former President Buhari and the former Chief of Naval Staff for approving and flagging off the project, also expressed gratitude to Tinubu and the current Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, for buying into the project.
The governor recalled that at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) many had thought it would not be possible to realise the project.
He therefore expressed delight that the first stage, which is the survey, had been completed and that the state was ready for the second stage with the continued support of the government.
He acknowledged that with the completion of the survey report of charting of the Oguta Lake to the Atlantic Ocean and the necessary recommendations, the state will now embark on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and other necessary arrangements that will lead into the dredging proper.
The governor reiterated that the project was started to encourage gas optimisation in Imo state in particular and the South East in general and as an area suitable for gas industrial cluster, petrochemical plant as well as fertiliser plant.
He said he was confident that the dredging of Oguta Lake to the Atlantic Ocean will create jobs, eliminate oil theft, and help in the harnessing of the abundant gas deposit and other natural resources at the coast of Oguta Lake and Atlantic Ocean.
Uzodimma explained that the state had embarked on the project at a highly conservative and subsidised cost and that talks were ongoing with a foreign outfit that will participate in the dredging with their sophisticated dredging equipment still at a subsidised cost.
Earlier at the submission, Kaoje informed that the Navy does not only have the report on the pre-dredging survey of Oguta Lake and Orashi River to the Atlantic Ocean ready, but expressed its readiness to continue to partner with the state to realise the project.
In his presentation, the Navy Hydrographer of the Federation, Rear Admiral Ayo Olugbode said that the government of Imo state provided the funding and all the support that made it possible to start and complete the first stage of the project.
Olugbode pointed out that the dredging embarked upon by the governor had brought to the fore the fact that the same route was used for trading in the colonial days, up to 1854.
He recommended the need for environmental impact assessment, further dredging/canalisation of recommended sea access route from Orashi River up to Bonny River via Onne for navigation by bigger platforms, the installation and maintenance of standard buoys and other aids to navigation, among others.
Present at the presentation were the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prof. Placid Njoku, the Chief of Staff, Nnamdi Anyaehie, the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Imo State, Dr Julie Onyeukwu, members of the State’s expanded executive council, among others.
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
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