By Gloria Afajagbe
Chairman of the Benin Port Project, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun says that the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the project has been issued to bidders by the Transaction Adviser, CPCS.
Ogbeifun, in a statement, said that the Edo State Government is committed to the development of the port project, which is expected to bring about significant economic benefits to the state and country.
He noted that the Benin Port is among the legacy projects of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to drive industrial and economic growth in the state.
Ogbeifun stated that upon completion, it will boost export earnings, create employment opportunities, expand the state’s economic value chain, and open up new business opportunities.
He added that the project is a unique agro-based multipurpose port in Nigeria, encompassing a Smart Port Community complex with sustainable renewable energy for the promotion of green emissions, protection of the environment, and ensuring massive opportunities for host communities and beyond.
“This is in addition to other critical steps that have been undertaken to set actions in motion to accelerate the realization of the project, including the completion Request for Qualification (RFQ) evaluation meeting and the clearance of the Outline Business Case (OBC) by Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC),” he said.
Ogbeifun reassured that the state and federal government had set up the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and Project Delivery Team (PDT) to ensure the realisation of the Benin Port Project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, in line with international best practices and standards.
He explained that the PSC and PDT comprises of 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).
