By Adibe Emenyonu
In a bid to shore up its revenue base and create employment for the teeming unemployed youths, the Chairman of Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Mrs. Benedicta Ebuehi, has expressed commitment of the council authorities to develop and expand the marine jetty at the River Niger axis of Agenebode as well as a trailer park in Okpella.
The LGA chairman, who disclosed this at the weekend, explained that the initiative became necessary owing to the dwindling revenue allocation to the councils, noting that a tripartite arrangement under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is underway to ensure that the projects are achieved.
Ebuehi, who was accompanied by engineers from the council, visited the riverine community of Agenebode on assessment visit as well as the 1,000 hectares of land meant for trailer park at Okpella, and expressed optimism that the two projects would definitely impact positively on the economy of the solid mineral-rich council.
According to her, “For us in the local government area, we want to get rid of the indiscriminate parking of trailers which is causing gridlock and danger to lives on the highway, by creating a modern park for them. We have acquired 1,000 hectares of land in Okpella toward this project. This will make our road safer as well as create revenue for the council by collecting parking fees.
“We are presently looking at partnering the state government and core investors, and even though discussion is still at the preliminary stage, we are certainly committed to taking advantage of these huge potential and opportunities.”
The council boss added that when the jetty station at Agenebode is dredged, it would go a long way to ease transportation of goods and services across the River Niger and lessen the traffic congestion hitherto experienced along the Okene/Okpella axis of the federal high way.
