Comfort Isaac
As the realisation of Ibom Deep Seaport and the larger Ibom Industrial City, ICC, is on top gear, the Akwa Ibom State government has urged its citizens to equip themselves with requisite skills in the maritime corridor so as to be gainfully employed and be profitably engaged when the time comes.
The Commissioner for Special Duties and Ibom Deep Seaport, Comrade Ini Ememobong, made the call on Friday at the Dakkada Towers, during a Maritime Trade and Logistics Sensitisation Workshop with the theme ”Harnessing the Economic Potentials of Blue Economy Value Chain in Akwa Ibom State for Productivity and Sustainable Growth.”
The Commissioner said the essence of the workshop was for participants to gain deeper insights into the maritime and blue economic sector, encourage a pool of highly skilled manpower for employment at the port and the industries, and to access the lucrative nature and viability of the sector.
According to him, “While the administration of Pastor Umo Eno is diligently working to bring Ibom Deep Seaport and Ibom Industrial City to reality, it was important to ensure that Akwa Ibom people are prepared and well-positioned to be active players in the maritime sector.
“Success only happens when opportunity meets with preparation. Opportunities are always around, but only the prepared minds are those who see the opportunity when it happens; that is why the seminar is organised. Ibom Deep Seaport and Ibom Industrial City will bring opportunities; we want our people to be prepared so that when this administration actualises these projects, our people can be at the forefront of reaping benefits.”
Speaking on maritime logistics, the President of Brightflow Conglomerate, Dr. (Mrs.) Aniefiok Iton, noted that the maritime sector held immense potential, and that if harnessed properly, its impact could surpass that of oil exploration, adding that the maritime industry is a vital component of global trade, which shipping plays a critical role in the movement of people, commodities, cargo, materials, goods and services across international borders.
Dr Iton, who said it was important to recognise that every sector has its own language and as such, gaining insights and knowledge will help in navigating the sector effectively, disclosed that the objective of the workshop was to develop skills for economic diversification in the maritime industry.
On his part, the Rector, Marine and Oceans Academy, Nigeria, Dr. Kingsley Ekwere, stressed that “There is a need for skills acquisition not just onshore but in the waterways. There is no greater time to look into this than now that the Ibom Deep Seaport is about to emerge for West Africa. Whatever anybody can do, we can do also, and we should be very interested in skills acquisition to function once the Ibom Deep Seaport is birthed.”
Also speaking, a lecturer at Maritime Academy, Nigeria, Dr. Friday Ufia, noted that while maritime trade was the exchange of goods and services across the oceans and seas, the logistics was about customer service, disclosing that there are short courses at the Maritime Academy to equip people in the area to be part of the Ibom Deep Seaport.
“Akwa Ibom has the longest coastline of 129km, a good road network, presence of a maritime academy to train our people. We should take advantage of the domiciliary of the Maritime Academy to get trained on how we can benefit from the Ibom Deep Seaport as owners of the port.” He said.
In his presentation, the Director of Projects, Technical Committee on Ibom Deep Seaport, Prof. Akaninyene Ekong, said that maritime activities are open to professionals from all fields, offering vast opportunities across sectors, adding that it was encouraging to see that, at the national level, bold steps have been taken to elevate the marine and blue economy, as evident in the policy brief presented at the Federal Executive Council in May this year.
Highlighting the commitment of the Governor Umo Eno-led administration towards the realisation of the Ibom Deep Seaport project, the Acting Director, Centre for Automotive Training, Transport and Logistics (CATTL), Akwa Ibom State University, Engr. Godwin Ekong, said the Akwa Ibom blue economy under Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda will improve the coastal recreation, maritime tourism, maritime transport, aquaculture, infrastructure, storage facilities, coastal security and coastal educational management.
Engr. Ekong affirmed that for the maritime and blue economy of Akwa Ibom State to thrive, it was crucial that key players, particularly skilled workers, were enlightened and prepared for the Ibom Deep Seaport project, assuring that the blue economy of the State was going to be a reality and that Akwa Ibom people should not allow outsiders to take advantage of it while they stand as onlookers.
In his goodwill message, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk, described the workshop as a significant milestone and commended the government for recognising the importance of positioning the state for future economic relevance, adding that it was inspiring for journalists to be invited to sit at the table, not just as observers, but as partners to engage with the future of the Ibom Deep Seaport project.
