• Thursday, April 25, 2024
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BusinessDay

Elections: Abiodun tours Ogun Waterside, rues loss of $16b Dangote refinery to Lagos

Abiodun flags off sale of rice at discounted price in Ogun

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has lamented the lackadaisical attitude of the immediate past administration in the state which led to the loss of a $16bn Dangote Refinery Investment intended to be sited in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, to a neighbouring state of Lagos.

Speaking at the commissioning of a primary health centre and 6km Agodo/Lukogbe/Lokula/Tigara road all in Ibiade town, as part of the campaign tour to the Ogun Waterside LG, Abiodun said the project would have been operational in Ogun, but, lack of foresight and vision of his predecessor made the state lose the huge investment.

“This local government area is the aquatic splendour of the state. It will be an oil producing local government and will host a deep seaport. By now, we should have had a refinery in this local government area, but because some people did not want it to be in this land, they worked against it,” he explained.

Abiodun expressed his displeasure that the local government has not, in the last 30 years, got any road project, noting that the new road apart from connecting other towns and villages in the axis, it would also provide an easy link to Ondo State.

Addressing the people further, Abiodun said, “I will upgrade the Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute so that our children will be trained to take up appointments when the Deep Seaport which would be sited here comes on stream.

“I know that there are more roads that need our attention but we will be picking them one after the other for construction.”

He added that efforts would be intensified to restore electricity to Ibiade town within the shortest possible time.

The newly commissioned health centre, which according to the governor is one of the largest in the state, is one out of the 100 his administration had constructed in less than four years.

He added that the PHC is adequately equipped and provided with solar lights.

Speaking, the Deputy Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Akeem Balogun, said the road had been in bad shape for about 16 years, noting that the reconstruction of the road has brought great relief to the people, appealing to the governor to help in restoring electricity to the area.

The Alarige of Ibiade, Oba Bola Raheem, lauded the State government for considering the area in project allocation and execution, adding that his people would repay the governor with their votes.

Addressing the people of Iwopin town earlier, the governor stated that the new jetty in the area was constructed by the APC led Federal Government to ensure easy movement and connection to the Dangote Refinery located around the axis.

He disclosed that his administration had embarked on the renovation of educational and health facilities across the state, adding that the Primary Health Centre and public schools in and around Iwopin had received a facelift.

While thanking the people for voting for Bola Tinubu at the presidential election, Governor Abiodun urged them to extend the same gesture to him during the gubernatorial election, saying that voting for him is a voting for more dividends of democracy and prosperity.

Addressing party supporters at Oni Ward 2, he promised to upgrade the Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute, Oni, to meet the needs of the oil and gas sector, as the state was working towards becoming oil producing.