Edo State Government on Wednesday said it has not abandoned the ongoing construction of the
Benin River port project located in Ovia North East Local Government Area.
The state governor, Godwin Obaseki made the remarks during a campaign tour to Oduna Ward 11 in the locality.
Obaseki, who is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the September 19, governorship election said the port would be completed before the end of his second term in office if reelected.
He, however, attributed the suspension of work at the port, Ekehuan road dualization and construction of Oduna-Gelegele road to Covid-19 lockdown and suspension of international flights.
He assured that engineers will return to site now that the ban on international flight has been lifted.
“I wasn’t happy when I was coming here due to the bad road leading to these area. When I awarded the contract, they told us that the project was intended to be completed these year.
“But nobody knew that Covid-19 will come. The Contractors have gone home. Now that the Government has lifted ban on international flight, by the grace of God, the job (road construction) will be completed before the end of next year.
“By the grace of God, the port will be ready before the end of my second tenure. That is why the road is my priority”, he said.
Obaseki, who described the access road to the project site as strategic, added that the tour provides him the opportunity to acquaint himself with the problems and challenges of the people and provide a work plan on how to resolve them.
The PDP candidate, promised to liaise with a gas company operating in the area to provide electricity for the rural dwellers.
The governor also assured the people of Gelegele waterway of his administration’s protection of lives and property.
“Like you know, we have one of the porous waterway which use to be a safe haven for kidnappings, armed robbery and other nefarious activities in the area and from neighbouring States.
“Because of the porosity of the waterways, government procured four gunboats and artillery weapons to fight crimes in waterway arising from the security lapses for the Government.
“In the next thee years, the security situation would have evolved”,he added.
