Rep. Babatunde Hunpe, representing Badagry Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, on Friday assured his constituents that the Badagry Deep Seaport project was still on course.
Hunpe gave the assurance on the sidelines of the presentation of relief materials by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Lagos.
According to him, there are processes being taken to see to the fulfilment of the project but unfortunately, it takes time and thus the delays experienced in the project.
“I want to assure my people that the Badagry Deep Seaport project is on course. When one starts a project, people expect it to come very quick but there are processes to follow.
“ It is because of these processes to be taken that the project is delayed ,” he said.
Hunpe noted that the project had been discussed at the floor of the house, when the issue of Apapa gridlock was being discussed.
He said that the Badadgry Deep Seaport needed to come on board to decongest container traffic at the Apapa port.
“This project has been on since 2016 and presently, the story is as it is and I have been going on with the issue.
“I met the former Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), we had a long discussion and she disclosed the level that they were, which gave the assurance that the project was coming up.
“I have also seen some steps taken by the NPA and I was able to get this because I am a member of the committee on special duties and so, I have the privilege to know what they are doing,” he said.
Speaking on evacuation of cargo, Hunpe said that government that was planning the project would have put proper mode of evacuation into consideration.
“The reason government is repairing the Badagry road is to also serve the Deep Seaport project and the many countries connected by the road to aid evacuation of cargoes.
“We are appealing to the Federal Government to put more effort to ensure that the road is completed on time,” he said.
The Badagry Deep Seaport project is being executed through a public-private partnership (PPP) overseen by the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Lagos State Government as well as private consortium of APM Terminals, Orlean Invest, Oando, Terminal Investment Ltd and Macquarie.
The deep seaport is located in the Gberefun area of Badagry, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, about 55 kilometers west of the Apapa and Tin Can Island Port complexes. (NAN)
