By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Transport, Mr Muazu Sambo, has said that the Lekki Deep Seaport project would create about 112,000 jobs for Nigerians upon its completion.
Mr Sambo said this on Sunday in Jalingo, Taraba state capital, noting that the port, which will be the second in Nigeria after Onne Deep SeaPort would bring more tonnage and swell the revenue to the port and as a result to the country.
He further said the importance of the project would impact positively on the nation’s economy.
“The Lekki Deep seaport project is the second after Onne Deep Sea Port in Nigeria.
“It is significant because the largest ships in the world can berth at the port.
“That means more tonnage, more cargo, more revenue for the port and for the country, more economic activities.
“And above all more jobs like I said, over 112,000 both direct and indirect jobs will be created as a result of the creation of the Lekki deep seaport.
“This will be in the first few years and as time goes on and as activities expand, the number of jobs will even multiply and that is what is good for us.
“For as more jobs we have, the more our ability to put food on the table of many Nigerians,” Mr Sambo said.
Due to be completed in the first quarter of 2023, the seaport occupies 90 hectares of the entire 830 hectares of land carved out for the Lagos Free Zone. The zone was created in 2012 to enhance the economic position of Lagos as a manufacturing and logistics hub in West Africa.
The project commenced in 2017 under the administration of former Lagos state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and is being constructed by the China Habour Engineering Firm.
Dipo Olowookere