…we have a good story to tell!
… Edo State under Governor Godwin Obaseki has recorded tremendous gains
Political differences notwithstanding, Edo State Government expects the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Edo, to acknowledge the significant progress that the state has made in the last six and half years.
There is still room for improvement no doubt, but Edo State under Governor Godwin Obaseki has recorded tremendous gains in terms of providing enabling environment for businesses and Edo people to thrive.
The Benin Port project is just one of the many good stories in Our Steward!
It is clear that Col. David Imuse, a man who has also signified interest in running for governor in 2024, is at sea when processes and workings of transactions above sales and purchases of party nomination forms are being negotiated. It is my pleasure to explain to him and his fellow party members, who ordinarily should be pleased with the progress made to make the Benin Port a reality, the intricacies and technicalities involved in the project.
The Project:
The project site is located at the confluence of Osse River and Benin River, making it the closest port to the sea after the ports of Lagos, at only 32km from the coastline. This proximity is a major attraction to shippers, as it reduces the sailing time of ships into the hinterland, along with the associated security risks. As part of the project, a double-lane dual carriage way Access Road is planned to be constructed to the Port through Ekewan Road and Gelegele, while a Railway link is being proposed from Agbor to the Port in future, to facilitate movement of goods from all over the country.
The Site:
The site has a vast expanse of available land of which over 700ha has since been surveyed and designated for the project by Edo State Government, including Topographic Survey of the Access Road, and Bathymetric Survey of the sailing Channel along Benin River, through the estuary and into the Atlantic Ocean.
The project site was carefully selected in such a way to avoid having to relocate any community, and the host communities have been very supportive and continue to show encouragement for the project. This had started with a very cordial and frank stakeholders meeting, which was followed with the recent award of fully funded scholarships to the first batch of indigenous students to study Maritime courses in universities overseas, and are expected to eventually return to join the workforce at BP.
Outline Business Case:
“The Draft Outline Business Case (OBC) for the BP Project was prepared by the appointed Transaction Advisers, CPCS Transcom, Canada, after an extensive research and study of the cargo and traffic throughput potentials and the viability of the proposed port, amongst other considerations. Some potential Investors have also been identified for financing of the proposed Public-Private-Partnership contract that would be secured under custody of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). These activities will continue until the development of a Full Business Case (FBC), and attainment of a Financial Close, leading to commencement of actual construction works.
The Benin Port (BP) project is deliberately designed to address the deficiencies observed in all the other existing Ports in Nigeria, by making provisions for a total Port Community that encompasses integration of all necessary services, including adequate land area for Trailer Park, Agro-Industrial Park, General Industrial Park, Housing Areas, rail, in addition to the Port Terminal Complex itself. The agro-based focus of the BP is to key into the Federal Government’s drive of diversifying the Nigerian economy from Oil & Gas into Agriculture.
It would encourage a positive revolution in mechanized agriculture, and expand the export potentials in the sector, given the availability of a dedicated Port in Benin City, which is the hub of transportation routes from the northern, eastern, and southern parts of Nigeria to Lagos.
In addition, the strategic location and proximity of the BP as the nearest Port, east of the Lekki Deep Sea Port and the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, will serve as the most viable gateway port for transshipments and products evacuation for these facilities, BP has recently interacted with these organisations, and they have both expressed eagerness as they look forward to the development of the Port.
The BP Project Management had positive interactions with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the Federal Ministry of Transportation, and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) in respect of the project.
Apart from the generation of massive employment opportunities during the construction and operational phases, it is expected that the Benin Port would also position Nigeria to benefit from activities of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), under which, investment in Agriculture is a major consideration.
Today:
After 75 years of stalling amid various obstacles, the Benin Port Project is finally kicking off with the emergence of a preferred bidder, Mota Engil Africa. With a history of over 70 years, Mota Engil Africa has an unparalleled curriculum and position in Sub-Sahara Africa region. It has consistently shown capacity to deliver on big-ticket projects across Africa.
How it started…
Pre-2016, Godwin Obaseki as an aspirant, promised to build the port. To many, it was another campaign promise as many before had made similar promises.
Just a couple of months after swearing-in, Governor Godwin Obaseki had in his New Year address in 2017, announced the set-up of a seven-man committee chaired by Engr. Greg Ero, to lead the development of the port project. This Committee was eventually succeeded by the Dr. Ogbeifun-led Benin Port project team, which is currently handling the project.
Together, in pursuit of the actualisation of the project, they have been navigating an extremely complex maze of regulatory and institutional challenges. I believe this is where Col. David Imuse and his APC got lost! The successful navigation of the complex maze of regulatory and institutional challenges led to the emergence of a preferred bidder!
A Preferred bidder means the bidder whom has been ranked number one in accordance with the process and criteria set out in the request for proposal.
Detailing the process leading to the emergence of the preferred bidder, the Project Director, Benin Port, Dr. Joe Aigboduwa, said: “Request for Proposal (RFP) documents had been issued to the prequalified bidders on 18th April 2023. A Pre-Bid conference was held with the bidders on 26th April 2023, followed by visits to the project site from 13th June to 14th June 2023. Bids were eventually submitted in Abuja on the due date of Friday 30th June 2023.
“The very rigorous and transparent evaluation exercise was conducted by the Project Delivery Team (PDT) and coordinated by the Transaction Adviser (CPCS Transcom) in compliance with international best practices. The Technical Proposals were first opened and evaluated from Monday 3rd July to Thursday 6th July 2023. The exercise culminated in the public opening of the compliant Financial Proposals on Friday 7th July, 2023 in the presence of the bidders.”
The immediate past Minister of Transportation had earlier set up the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and Project Delivery Team (PDT) to ensure realisation of the Benin Port Project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, as already approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The PSC and PDT comprise representatives from the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMOT), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ), Federal Ministry of Finance (FMOF), Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE), Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Edo State Government (EDSG), and the Transaction Adviser (CPCS Transcom, Canada).
We are now looking forward to further cooperation in continuation of the concession award process, while assuring all stakeholders and partners of government full support to ensure that the project is completed in good time and deliver value to Nigerians and port users from different parts of the world.
The Governor Godwin 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.
The big deal Col. Imuse and his APC cannot see is that Governor Obaseki broke the jinx of the continuous refusal of first, the Western Region Government, and then the Federal Government of Nigeria, to build and operate a Port in our city.
Incidentally, the 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.
Chris Osa Nehikhare
Hon Commissioner for Communication&Orientation.
