I want to use this medium to clarify the stages of delivery of the following projects to the people of Edo State. I want to put the records straight and clarify that they are not MOU’s projects, as oppositions have claimed in Edo State.
Benin River Port
After 75 years of stalling, the Benin Port project is finally kicking off with the emergence of Mota Engil Africa as the preferred bidder. The port construction is one of the most ambitious legacy projects of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led Edo State government.
Greg Ogbeifun, chairman of the Benin Port Project, confirmed the emergence of Mota Engil Africa after a one-week evaluation exercise conducted on the bids received in response to the request for proposals. Three pre-qualified bidders—China Harbour Engineering Company (China), Mota-Engil Africa (Portugal), and Yilport Holding Inc. (Turkey)—bid for the project. Mota Engil Africa, which is also handling the Kano-Maradi rail project of the Federal Government, recently took delivery of $200m worth of equipment, showcasing its capacity to deliver on big-ticket projects. Efforts to construct the port had persisted unsuccessfully for over 75 years after it was first proposed, as regulatory, funding, and institutional setbacks halted various moves to embark on the project.
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Governor Obaseki had promised to build the port during his campaigns in 2016 and has ever since pursued the actualisation of the project, navigating an extremely complex maze of regulatory and institutional challenges. The governor, in his New Year’s address in 2017, announced the set-up of a seven-man committee chaired by Greg Ero to lead the development of the port project. The committee was eventually succeeded by the Ogbeifun-led Benin Port project team, which is currently handling the project.
Reacting to the success of the bid process, Obaseki said it was delightful that the project is finally kicking off to serve as a launchpad for the expansion of Edo’s $11.8 billion economy. He believed this would catalyse the growth of agriculture, real estate, manufacturing, food processing, automotive, power, retail, and extractive sectors.
The 300,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) Benin Port would reactivate pre-colonial trade routes through the Benin and Osse Rivers, which was where the Portuguese first had contact with the Benin Kingdom in 1472 AD.
The Obaseki-led government has rolled out an expansive plan for the Benin Port, which is designed to be a unique agro-based port in Nigeria that encompasses a complete smart port community complex for industrial processing and export of agricultural produce and other goods, with independent, clean, and renewable energy installations.
The container and multipurpose terminals of the port would also have RoRo facilities to enable direct importation of vehicles for the thriving automobile industry in Edo State, among other commercial activities that would spring from the port operations.
Governor Obaseki did not know that Gelegele Port land was not wide enough, and the location of Gelegele Port is not attractive to foreign and local investors. Due to experts’ advice, Governor Obaseki has to develop a new Benin River port. The new Benin River port is 9 kilometres from Gelegele port. The ill-informed people should stop calling the Gelegele port project a fraud. Governor Obaseki solely depends on foreign and local investors for the development of Benin River port. The Edo State Government is redeveloping one of Nigeria’s oldest pre-colonial ports as a multi-purpose port co-located with an agro-industrial park. The new site for the port, relocated downstream the Osse River to the Benin River, will provide 20 hectares of real estate for the port and 717 hectares for the larger port community, connected to Benin City via a 49.5 km access road.
The project has been certified by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) as eligible for a public-private partnership (PPP) with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as a counterparty.
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Edo Airport, Uzairue
I want to clarify that the proposed airport by the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, is sited in Jattu, Uzairue Land. The Edo State Government proposed to build an airport in Edo North Senatorial District to harness the solid mineral potentials of the area. Governor Obaseki has made a proposal to build an airport in Edo North in 2023.
As a matter of fact, a vast expanse of land has since been made available in Jattu for the purpose of the airport. The Uzairue community has been in touch with the state government over the issue right from the start and readily made land available for the landmark project following a request by the government ahead of the commencement of work; the land has since been surveyed.
The government chooses to establish the airport in Uzairue Land, Edo North, which is rich in solid minerals. Governor Obaseki is aware of the importance of an airport in Edo North Senatorial District. It will, no doubt, go a long way in positively impacting Uzairue, Afemai, and the whole of Edo people in general.
Cassava Processing Plant
The Edo State Government has said that the revival of the Uromi Cassava Processing Plant, which was in a state of disrepair for over a decade, would create employment opportunities and boost manufacturing in the Edo Central Senatorial District of the State. The plant was revived after the state government reached an agreement with M-Hiver Nig Ltd. as part of the government’s drive to boost industrial activities in the state.
Cassava is the perfect alternative to wheat. We also now have companies coming into Edo State to set up ethanol production. It is time that we revive this plant and let Edo people start reaping the reward of the facility.”
One thing that M-Hiver has committed to doing is providing jobs for the youths across the state. Dr. Mike Iseghohi of M-Hiver, who is a native of Uromi, and other members of his team will work with the government to make this facility come alive. There are many by-products that we need to get into the market from this place. The plant will bring at least 30 percent employment to the youths in the axis. Farmers can get back to their farms and increase the GDP of this state. We are going to start off now, re-energise the place, and make it fully operational within the next year.
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Jattu Dam
The Edo State government and the federal government have begun the construction of Jattu Dam in Iyora-Uzairue, Etsako West Local Government. Edo State wants to provide potable water for residents and enhance year-round farming in the area. The Ministry of Water Resources got approval from the Federal Executive Council to award the contract for the construction of the dam, and the Edo State Government had undertaken to underwrite 25 percent of the N8 billion contract sum, which translates to N2 billion. The project is sited in Iyora-Uzairue, and work is going on.
Reacting to the FEC approval, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, noted that the project was crucial to the state, as it would deliver portable water and drive productivity in Edo North Senatorial District of the state. He added that the N2 billion contribution to the project was targeted at fast tracking the project’s delivery even as all other support necessary for the realisation of the project was provided as the construction commenced.
There are no MOU’s projects in Edo, as oppositions have claimed, but works are ongoing on some projects, while others will soon start work.
Inwalomhe Donald writes via [email protected]
