The governor received the report at the Government House, Benin City, on Wednesday, from the Technical Committee on the actualization of the Gelegele Sea Port, led by its chairman, Engr. Greg Ero. Obaseki commended the committee for a job well done and noted that the project was a critical infrastructure in the state.
He stressed the role of water transportation as a major driver of economic activity, noting that moving goods through the waterways remain one of the fastest means to grow the economy.
According to him, the Gelegele Seaport is essential in view of the incoming investment to the state, as the setting up of a sea port will enhance the evacuation of agricultural produce in a cost-efficient manner to both the local and global markets.
He said the move to establish the port is apt and in line with the Federal Government’s economic recovery plan, which stipulates that states develop economic plans that will stimulate exportation.
“We have travelled to various countries, especially Asia, to attract investment that will revamp our competitive advantage in oil palm and rubber. Edo State is a logistic hub for this country. From here, goods can be efficiently moved to various states and distributed across the country.”
Noting that the state government would ensure that the report guides the implementation of the project, he said, “As a government, we want to assure you that the report is critical. We will immediately commence work on the recommendation and seek expert impute in building an infrastructure of this magnitude.”
The chairman of the committee, Engr. Ero said his team worked on the terms of reference it was given to prepare a report on the port that would open Edo up to the world, adding, “We visited Gelegele community, relevant offices and locations. We gathered information and data from various sources, including reports on previous assignment commissioned by the Federal Government on Gelegele.”
Ero said the committee took a holistic view of the project and addressed in great details, the location of seaport, sea route to the Atlantic Ocean, and critical issues of port viability required to pass a business case test.
