Benin – Communities around Gelegele Seaport in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo, have commended Gov. Godwin Obaseki for the planned development of  Gelegele Seaport.

The communities under the aegis of Ekaladeran Peoples Forum (EPF), spoke through their spokesman, Mr Austine Amiuwu, while addressing newsmen in Benin on Monday.

They said the move would economically benefit both the state and the communities around the proposed seaport.

It will be recalled that Obaseki had set up a seven-man technical committee to work out modalities for the development of the Gelegele Seaport.

Amiuwu said if the project was pursued to its logical conclusion, the Ekaladeran people would remain forever grateful to the governor.

He said the people have for over four decades, made concerted efforts to the governments at both the state and federal levels to develop the seaport.

He said the setting up of a technical committee by the present government of Edo, was the first ever major step taken by any government towards the development of the seaport.

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The spokesman said the setting up of a technical committee was received by the Gelegele communities with wild jubilation.

“Our joy is that our people, the communities and the state in general, will be transformed with this laudable project.

“Economically and socially, we stand to benefit a lot if this project is completed.

“As communities, we have been neglected by the non-development of the Gelegele Seaport, and by not giving us a local government of our own,” he said.

Amiuwu said the communities contribute the state’s 13 per cent derivation of the federal government allocation and has 47 polling units out of the 67 polling units in the constituency, “yet are being marginalised.”

Speaking, the Secretary General of the group and Vice Chairman Host Communities of Oil Producing Area in Edo, Mr Stanley Osayande, assured of the readiness of the communities to ensure security in the area when the project finally takes off.