Anthony Iwuoma
Contrary to the claims of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, the Federal Government has denied that it plans to to dredge the Orashi River Port in Imo State.
Uzodinma had stated that following President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state to commission projects executed by his Prosperity administration last week, the Federal Goyvernment had approved dredging of the Orashi River.
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The governor added that the seaport, to Uzodinma, when completed, would boost the economic activities as the other six major seaports in the country as well as enable traders from the zone to import and receive their goods directly
However, Muazu Sambo, the Minister of Transportation, who spoke with at the World Maritime Day celebration in Lagos, debunked Uzodinma’s claims, saying neither his ministry nor the Presidency was aware of the project.
He said: “I was in the US when the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, sent me a text to confirm this and I asked the permanent secretary, who also said nothing like this in the ministry.
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“I know the Orachi River is an inland waterway and it falls under the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA. I have not been able to reach the NIWA MD.
”The Federal Government is not aware of Orashi River Port, the ministry is also not aware of such a port. As far as we are concerned, the Orashi River Port is not known to the government.”
Sambo promised to contact Uzodimma to ascertain if it is the the state government that plans to undertake the project.
Uzodinma’s claims on the proposed Orahi River Port had generated mixed reactions among the people.
