Governor Umo Eno says his administration is reviving maritime infrastructure in the state to grow the blue economy.

Mr Eno said this at the  maiden edition of the Niger Delta Blue Economy Investment Summit in Ikot Ekpene on Tuesday.

Mr Eno said the Akwa Ibom government was embarking on multibillion-naira marine infrastructure projects in the state.

“The projects will enliven maritime transportation and create commercial activities within the maritime corridor,” he said.

The governor said that when fully harnessed, the blue economy would create massive employment.

The governor further said that his administration was conscious of the opportunities in the blue economy, saying, “We will pursue the Ibom deep seaport project to actualisation.”

He said that all the regulations, certifications, and approvals for the project had been met.

“Ibom Deep Seaport is not going to be a white elephant project. Work has gone very far,” he said.

In his keynote address, Mehdi Jomaa, a former Prime Minister of Tunisia, said that investing in the blue economy was critical to Africa’s development.

He urged African leaders to see the blue economy as a new chapter in the continent’s investment for sustainable development.

(NAN)