The public-private partnership (PPP) model adopted by the federal government in the development of maritime infrastructure, aimed at boosting oil and gas trade at the Onne Free Trade Zone in Rivers State, is yielding results faster than expected.
Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated three ship berths at Onne Port Complex, with a measure of 15 metres in depth.
The facilities were part of contracts in the concession awarded to Intels Nigeria Limited.
Some other projects developed by the company, which were inaugurated the same day, included 800 hectares reclaimed quay area, road networks and ther port facilities. These, formed the maritime infrastructure under the Phase 4 Onne Port Complex Projects developed by Intels Nigeria Limited in the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone at Onne.
The projects were undertaken by the company at the cost of $204 million (about N33 billion). “Investors have every reason to have confidence in this administration and are urged to key into government’s effort,” said President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented at the inauguration ceremony by Namadi Sambo .
“The Onne Free Trade Zone for oil and gas export is not only the biggest hub for oil and gas business, but also the fastest growing free trade zone in the world, which has provided about 50,000 jobs.
With this, we see that the future of maritime is very bright and we are confident that the zone will continue to attract more investors.” Already, the free trade zone, the minister of industries, trade and investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, disclosed, has attracted 160 companies, which have invested about $8 billion, with over 50,000 people directly employed.
Jonathan said the inauguration of the projects is another demonstration of the federal government’s partnership with private sector in deep offshore oil and gas development. However, projects under Phase 4B to be developed by Deep Offshore Limited promises the climax of Nigeria’s maritime hub dream. On the same day, the also performed the ground-breaking ceremony for contracts under the Onne Port Projects Phase 4B, awarded to Deep Offshore Limited at the cost of $2.8 billion (about N488 billion) which includes development of eight berths, beginning from 12 to 19, reclamation of 600 hectares of swampy land, 15.5km port roads and other port facilities with a span of six years.
The minister of transport, Senator Umar, whose office, through its Parastatal, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), is driving the projects said, with all the port facilities for oil and gas trade now in place at the Onne Port Complex, all cargoes must be discharged at the NPA designated terminals, without such excuses that encourage oil theft.
“Nigeria will no longer tolerate illegal oil and gas activities which lead to loss of income,” the minister said. He urged all concessionaires to give maximum support to a committee set up by federal government to monitor trade in the zone. For his part, Aganga said the Onne port projects clearly showed that the private sector is confident of the Goodluck Jonathan administration. He noted the zone is the largest free trade zone in the world and supervised by the ministry of industry, trade and investment.
“At a total cost of $3 billion for phases 4 and 4B, with about $2.8 billion for Phase 4B alone, the later project is indeed a game-changer expected to support unprecedented oil and gas operations and will make the zone to become Africa’s first full scale oil and gas industrial city. With these projects, we are mobilising unprecedented level of investment into Nigeria,” Aganga said.
According to the NPA Board Chairman, Anenih, the Phase 4 Project began in May 2013 and completed nine months before deadline.
“The projects are meant to meet increasing demand of companies in the oil and gas sector and are in consonance with the federal government’s transformation agenda. The projects will boost revenue being generated in the sector,” he said.
