The federal government of Nigeria has pledged its commitment towards the timely completion of the Ibom Deep Sea Port project.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stated federal government’s commitment on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium after commissioning live touching projects to mark the 30thanniversary celebration of Akwa Ibom State.
He said the federal government was prepared to enter into partnership with any state of the federation for the purposes of development.
The vice president said in the spirit of that partnership the federal government had awarded contract for the dualisation of Odukpani-Ikot Ekpene- Itu Highway at the cost of N54 billion.
He warned against elements of division and separation and called on Nigerians to collectively rise against few elements who were bent on destroying the unity that had been built over the years.
Earlier, while commissioning Metering Company at Onna, the vice president said the federal government had put in place new policies to tackle hike in electricity tariffs by consumers to ensure steady power supply.
“We have identified that the lot of the Discos are unable to collect effectively their tariff from the consumers because they are unable to afford the cost of metering.
“In the first place we are going to have independent metering and agent. It is open now and anybody can take a batch of consumers on meter.
“This is an important innovation because it means there in no restriction on those who can actually meter our consumers,” he said.
He described the metering factory as an excellent innovation that will help address power supply in the country.
The vice president maintained that with the metering factory in Akwa Ibom State access to power would be made easy in the country.
“We are certainly looking for this company opening up this factory in different parts of Nigeria. I think the country is opened up for this kind of enterprise,” he said.
Also inaugurating the syringe manufacturing company, Osinbajo expressed delight the Akwa Ibom State Government had keyed into the policy of the federal government for the country to produce what it needed.
“Let me say how excited I am to commission this project. Just as the governor has said this is a land mark project for the nation, not only for Akwa Ibom State, because it is strictly important in what we have been talking about producing what we need,” he said.
He commended the people of the state for providing peaceful environment for investors in the state.
Speaking earlier, the Governor Udom Emmanuel said government was looking for opportunity to provide each household in the state with power supply.
According to him, with the metering company, consumers would key into having power in their homes stressing that he would continue to partner with the private sector to bring in tangible development into the state.
On the syringe factory, the governor said with the annual consumption of more than one million syringes in the country, the establishment of the company would reduce the importation of the product in the country.
“We noted that today Nigeria with over 170 million people consume an average of 600 billion syringes in a year and 100 per cent of that imported into the county. So we made a bold step that syringe importation into the country would be stopped.”
The governor explained that the syringe company was 100 per cent private investment, saying that with the factory much should be expected in foreign exchange.
