The federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commenced the resuscitation of economic activities at the Ebughu Fishing Terminal in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The CBN team led by the Special Assistant to the CBN Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Anthony Ifechukwu, was joined by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, and veteran politician, Chief Otu Ita Toyo.

Addressing hordes of locals beside the Ebughu terminal, Mr. Ifechukwu said the move was triggered by President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s food sufficiency drive.

“The president has ordered that no person or agency should be given foreign exchange for agriculture. We are here to revive economic activities here in a bid to have sufficient food to consume and export. The federal government is not interested in importing any item. We have to make sure that the order of the president is actualized,” he explained.

Assuring that commercial activities will soon recommence at the fishing terminal, Ifechukwu disclosed that dilapidated facilities at the terminal are to be renovated and new ones installed to make possible the processing, sales and exportation of sea foods.

He sought the cooperation of Ebughu, Mbo and Akwa Ibom people.

Senator Ita Enang in his address said the federal government was ready to develop the enormous potentials in the sector.

According to him, when reactivated, the terminal and fishing settlement will boost economic activities in the state.

He said the reactivation was conceived by prevailing economic realities: “COVID-19, food scarcity and collapse in the currency have caused all of us to know that we don’t need to go outside to bring fish. The fish we need is available in Ebughu, Ewang, Ibaka and Atlantic Ocean. What we are doing now is bringing the finance to rebuild the place, rehabilitate it, expand it and make it possible that we have more people coming in here. The shore here is one of the deepest in the country. It has the depth of about seven metres, deeper than the calabar shore. Bigger vessel have been landing here.”

The presidential aide also called on Mbo and Akwa Ibom people to cooperate in ensuring that the resuscitation takes place without hindrance.

Chief Otu Ita Toyo, while addressing Ebughu youths who had expressed dissatisfaction over previous visits by federal and state government officials to the Ebughu terminal
which yielded no result, assured them that the visit will lead to the reactivation of the facility.

He urged them to embrace peace “because good things can only come to Oro Nation if we unite and work together for the good of the land.”

In his response, Prince Godwin Edubio, Youth President of Ebughu, called on the delegation to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the resuscitation project is completed.

He commended Senator Ita Enang and the CBN team for identifying the terminal as one of those to be reactivated in the country.

Edubio assured the delegation that Ebughu youths are law abiding and supportive of the terminal’s reactivation.