Ahead of March 11th governorship election, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), cum largest employer of labour in the State, His Excellency, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi OON, has said he would ensure the seaport established in Okwagbe by the federal government years ago, is functional.
Gbagi, an entrepreneurial expert, gave the assurance on Wednesday March 1st 2023, during a joint town hall meeting with the people of Okwagbe Waterside and Okwagbe Inland in Ughelli south local government area of the State.
He disclosed that the seaport when revamped would boost the State economy particularly the localities and reduce congestion on roads.
He said his administration would be committed to ensuring that the Okwagbe Port becomes fully operational as soon as he assumes office.
He stressed that he would encourage partnership with private individuals to boost the economy of the communities.
“When the British people came here, they sited a port at Okwagbe Waterside. We have a transshipment port in Okwagbe.
“I have told you people before, Okwagbe will be a business hub. Only one thing I want to plead with you people, I will come with expatriates to survey the area and plan what we will do and as people comes to establish factories and businesses, do not create an insecure environment for them.
“In Ughelli south, we have clay, all the way from the express to Ophorigbala, that we can use for the production of glasses, ceramics, vehicle glasses, bottles, tea cups and all kinds of drinking glasses and also generate jobs for the unemployed youths.
“The clay we have in Ughelli south can give you 40 ceramic companies. I give myself six months, I will revive the companies because I know where they are.
“And I am going to ship those items we are producing from this Waterside. I am a businessman more than been a politician and I know what Okwagbe is entitled to get.
“From this our port, we will ship plates, glasses, tiles and everything we will manufacture with up to 20 to 40 companies here, to other African countries”.
While soliciting for their votes, he promised to post an administrator to the waterside, saying “order than using roads, I am going to ship rhem from here to every other parts of the country including Lagos, Rivers and Ghana”, reiterating that Okwagbe would become a business hub
He said he was not only interested in just building the port but he wants to make it active and fully operational.
He called on them not to allow politicians to deceive them, pointing out that his party, SDP floor the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Labour Party (LP) in the just concluded presidential election.
