Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday, flagged off the dredging of the Oguta/Orashi River development project in Imo State.
The river will be dredged to Degema in Rivers State as a proposed sea route to the Atlantic Ocean.
The Vice President performed the flag-off in a ceremony at the bank of the river in the Oguta council area of Imo, on Thursday.
Osinbajo, who was accompanied by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, said the project would among other things connect waterways to hinterlands as well as expand Nigeria’s shipping and agricultural sectors.
He added that the project will expand Nigeria‘a free trade zone and aid her contributed quota to trade in Africa and the world.
He enjoined well-meaning Nigerians to join hands with the Imo Government and Nigerian Navy to see the project to fruition.
“Today marks an important milestone in the economic development of Imo, the Southeast and Nigeria at large and couldn’t have come at a better time than now.
“It gives me great pleasure to be part of this historic initiative I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to put hands on deck to actualise this project,” he stated.
Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his support in the recovery of Imo from the hands of bandits.
He said that the project would be executed through public/private partnership adding that it would create additional employment opportunities for Imo people.
