Owaza Seaport Project: Taking The Game Of Deceit To An International Height


By Uche Aguoru


Governor Otti should know that the mind of every Abian is not malnourished to the point that we should all start cheering most of his highfalutin speeches meant for media razzle-dazzle

Having carefully studied Governor Otti's actions and speeches, I have identified so many gaffes that suggest that my governor is not in touch with the environment he governs, thereby making those who describe him as an helicopter politician sound correct

I listened carefully to the speech made by the Abia governor at the South East Economic and Security Summit In Owerri, As beautiful as the speech sounded, I was embarrassed that my Governor is yet to know that there is no DEEP SEA at Owaza in Ukwa West LGA and that what we have in OWAZA can best be described as an ESTUARY which cannot carry a seaport.

Governor Alex Otti who contested the Governorship of Abia state three times before succeeding at his third attempt is expected to have toured round the state on each of those occasions and should have had a fair knowledge of every important landmark in the 17 local governments of the state.

What happened yesterday at the summit in Owerri simply gives endorsement to the name "Helicopter Politician"

While I welcome every idea or policy that will bring development to the state, your address at the Southeast summit which part of it states that your administration is proposing to site a seaport within the Owaza industrial cluster, and the state is set to perform the flag off tomorrow Saturday 31st of September 2023.

Sir, unless it is by way of your administrations' usual mad hunt for media validation and attention or poor understanding of the Owaza zone in Ukwa West, there is no way you can site a seaport at Owaza knowing that the relevant factors that are directly related to the siting of a project of that nature such as adequate depth, shelter from waves and sea currents, good logistic access, etc are not present. the estuary in Owaza cannot carry barges and the closest to a stagnant river is at Odagwa in Eche LGA of Rivers State.

The closest Abia state has to siting a seaport will be in Azumini River in Ukwa East which was also pointed out at the same summit by the President of Ohanaze Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who stated that already they are working on realizing that vision of having the Azumini seaport.

What can be more embarrassing than this, that someone from a neigbouring state is now showing a governor the potential present in his local environment?

Does it mean that Governor Otti is rushing to waste Abia's money on flagging off a project that was not subjected to a thorough process of identifying the potential of such investments?

What about the Enyimba economic city an ongoing project that that has passed through all the requirements and now enjoys the buy-in of investors which includes EPZ status and 20% equity by the federal government of Nigeria?

Is this not a confirmation that Dr. Otti is deliberately playing politics with something as serious as a seaport in the Southeast or is it confirming what we have always known that Dr Alex Otti does not really know the state he is administering?

While it is not practicable to site a seaport at Owaza, if Governor Otti goes ahead to flag off the seaport in Owaza tomorrow then know it that this administration have taken the game of deceit to international height.

Aguoru
Writes From Umuahia

This write up is high on criticism and low on objectivity and specifics.

There was same criticism when India embarked on a moon project with shallow minded people insisting that the money should have been invested into poverty eradication. Today India is not just a space power but are heading for the sun.

The author needs to be schooled on modern day capitalist economy.

When imo airport was about being built in the 80s , worst criticism came up about how the money could have been used to build more roads , schools , bla , bla, bla. Today imo airport is a life saver, face saver , time saver, money saver. The generation today will not understand the sacrifice of yesteryears

Whereas I am a supporter Alex Otti, and I'm a proud son of Igboland, but I'm skeptical about this Owaza Seaport Ish.

I am begging for answers to the following questions;

-When was the Feasibility study commissioned by Gov. Otti?.

- Which company did the Feasibility study, and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?.

- What's the financing arrangement?. Is Abia bouyant enough to undertake such capital project, or is it PPP arrangement?. If PPP, who are the partners?.

- How Navigable is the Owaza port, Azumiri is pretty navigable, nobody know much about this Owaza.

- He said he's flagging off of the project tomorrow, does it mean that both the Feasibility study and the EIA has been done and dusted, and has the federal government given her approval because we know that Port Operations is the business of the federal government.


I come in peace men and brethren, I'm just asking relevant questions that pricked my heart.

I agree with everything this article said.

I like Otti but he is playing politics with important projects initiated by ikpeazu.

He needs to retire vengeful politics and look at the bigger picture.

He should have fully supported EEC instead of launching his own industrial park.

The Abia helicopter politician and the writer are both clowning themselves, they are both delusional and pandering with different warped narratives.

The Abia helicopter man is talking about building a seaport around a river while the writer is clowning with the same flawed and ignorant seaport narrative with his own different river.

The question is, are they building a riverport or a seaport with zero presence of any sea or ocean?

...but of course, such rubbish is ver pervasive in that part of Nigeria.

Who are these disgusting fools and bastards that keep writing trash about Alex Ottih's projects? These disgusting bastards watched Abia state decay since 1999 but they couldn't say anything, but now the state has finally gotten a real governor, these cursed bastards now suddenly found their voice?

Spits!

All these people typing all they know how to type, where have you guys been since 1999 till this present government.... My advice, just sit down and watch how the project is being carried out and stop the critique cuz it won't help u at all.

From owaza to azumini by road is 40km.

I am not standing I'm for the governor, but a check reveals that owaza is just at the boundary between rivers and abia and is close to the express road.
A port at owaza will be used by igbo businesses in Port Harcourt, Aba businesses and owerri businesses and also enugu, umuahia etc.


Eventually Aba might grow and join Owaza in very few years from now if the Port is successful

Azumini to aba is 26.6km on roads that might not be motorable

Owaza to Aba is 37km via the express
The advantage of owaza is proximity to express, railway , Aba and Obigbo.


Owaza to is even closer than to Aba , so ph businesses will use owaza.

I presume owaza choice is for easy accessibility

Please what happened to Eyinmba Economic City?

I scanned through your write up and I want you to try and pass some information to your governor so that a holistic detail analysis of what is possible in that area realistically can be done considering the scarce resources Nigeria leadership has subjected Nigerians to

plaindealer:
The Abia helicopter politician and the writer are both clowning themselves, they are both delusional and pandering with different warped narratives.

The Abia helicopter man is talking about building a seaport around a river while the writer is clowning with the same flawed and ignorant seaport narrative with his own different river.

The question is, are they building a riverport or a seaport with zero presence of any sea or ocean?

...but of course, such rubbish is ver pervasive in that part of Nigeria.

Outside lekki deep sea port name a port in Nigeria that sits on the sea... I dare you

This is the location of the port Alex Otti plans to build. How is it different from other existing ports in Nigeria?

Mind you, that Imo river in the map I displayed forms boundary between Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states. So, no state can lay claims to it. It's even far better positioned than Gelegele seaport being built in Edo state yet has to pass through Delta State.

It's also less than 25 miles to the Atlantic ocean and the access river is wide and deep enough to berth any size of ship with very minimal cost in dredging. All these fools arguing nonsense are driven by hate and bigotry.

Maybe his plan is build and inland port that would receive batches from Onne port

My advice would be meet the governor of Rivers State, think how you can link Onne to aba via cheap locomotive rail lines

Am not really a fan of ports I feel they are not that important

We need gas pipeline more than we need sea port