Moses Uwagbale
The Edo government on Wednesday pledged government’s support and speedy take-off of the AMES-Edo Inland Container Dry Port.
Gov. Godwin Obaseki made the pledge when he paid an on-the-spot assessment visit to the project site at Agbonmoba community near Benin.
Obaseki said that the project, which was conceived more than seven years ago, had experienced tenacity and doggedness from the Atlantique Marine Engineering Services (AMES), promoters of the project.
He said that government team was at the project site to have a first-hand physical assessment of the progress so far made on the project.
He said the visit was with a view to speedy the completion and take-off of the dry port.
He said that the project on completion would be a huge success and pride to the state.
The governor, who said that his administration was very interested in the transit park component of the project, also gave assurance of the immediate commencement of the surfacing of the 3.5 kilo metre road to the project site.
He however said that on the equity side, government would look at it with a view to supporting it and provide enabling environment for private partners.
He also promised that government would align with the agricultural phase of the project.
Dr Charles Akhigbe, the Managing Director of AMES-Edo said that the project was purely a transport infrastructure.
Akhigbe appealed to the governor to help construct the 3.5 kilometre road and culverts to the project site.
He also urged the government to consider the state government equity in terms of support as well as considering training for farmers.
He said that the project had so many value-chains and the Edo logistic hub had been aligned to the rail master plan, adding that the dry port was designed to take 20,000 containers at any given time.
He said that the project on completion would create 30,000 jobs within three years and would generate revenue for local, state and federal government.
Akhigbe said that the port already had two warehouses of 20 feet each, adding “when the port is finally gazetted by the Federal Government at the end of 2021, people will not need to go to Lagos.’’
He said that the port would also drive socio-economic conditions of people living within the state.
He said that 80 per cent of the construction work had been achieved in the five years concession earmarked to complete and commission the project.
