THE Federal Government has been urged to fast-track the take-off of the Ibaka Deep SeaPort in Akwa Ibom State.

Chairman, House Committee on Commerce, Industry, and Investment, State House of Assembly, Nse Essien, noted that bureaucratic bottlenecks had tied down the project for too long.

Speaking with newsmen in Uyo, he said the state government had received several proposals from investors who were willing to invest in the project, alleging that the government at the centre seemed to be playing politics with the facility.

The lawmaker explained that the state government was thinking about absorbing into the seaport Uta Ewa, a fishing port in Ikot Abasi Local Council of the state.

Essien submitted that the move this was in line with government’ desire to transform the fishing port into a major industrial hub in West Africa by bringing in international jetty to complement the seaport.

“The governor is very concerned about Ibaka Deep Sea Port’s take-off.

“I am the Chairman of House Committee on Commerce, Industry and Investment; so I know what I am talking about. I know the number of investors that are willing to bring their money to invest in the project. So it is not Akwa Ibom government, but the Federal Government’s administrative bottlenecks that delay the take-off of the project.

“Let the Federal Government stop playing politics with the project, because it will be well for Nigeria to have many seaports,” he said.

Essien, who represents Onna state constituency in the legislature, said that the state government had rescheduled a N64.5 billion loan into Federal Government bond with a tenor of over 20 years.

“The N64.5 billion loan we know, we asked the governor to urge the House to reschedule and turn it into Federal Government bond that will take over 20 years. But the ones we do not know we have not asked questions on them because there is no reason to ask question yet.

“The House of Assembly is not to probe anybody. It is not our duty. Our duty is to make law. Let me tell you that Akpabio government is not the first and last government that had taken loans. From the inception of this state, I can assure you that loans had been taken from the government of Tunde Ogbeha (till date), ” he stressed.