Daniel To Gov. Abiodun: Ensure Completion Of Olokola Deep Sea Port, Just As Gateway Airport

ABEOKUTA – A former governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has urged governor Dapo Abiodun to ensure the completion of the Olokola deep sea port projects initiated by him just as he did with the airport.

Daniel, who spoke on Sunday at Ijebu-Imushin during his Midterm Community Assessment Tour and Review, said the senatorial district has lost many business opportunities due to the bad politics and neglect.

He dislcosed that, greater number of Ijebu sons and daughters have betrayed ijebuland out of ignorance.

According to him, his administration started the processing of Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Ogun Waterside before the project was stalled and taken to Lagos.

He, however, sympathized with the Ogun East people over what he described as underdevelopment, saying the community should be thriving in wealth and prosperity especially with the abundance of natural resources.

He equally expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu will not disappoint the Ijebu people on the creation of Ijebu State.

He also advocated for the continuity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the betterment of their lives.

Senator Daniel disclosed that the ministry of solid minerals has assured that the bitumen deposit in Ijebu will soon enter into exploration.

He said the bitumen wealth of Ijebu East will soon be put to productive use in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.

Daniel maintained that the mining sector under President Tinubu has received greater attention and revenue from the solid minerals sector has grown from N6 billion to N38 billion naira in just one year.

This record-breaking transformation driven by efficiency, transparency and accountability was achievable due to the president’s bold declaration that the era of exporting raw minerals is over and that mining licenses would only be granted to investors who are committed to local processing as a means of creating jobs.

“We have lost so many things in Ijebu land. The Dangote refinery is the biggest in the world today. We have allocated land for Dangote refinery but as soon as I left office, we lost it and it was taken to Epe, in Lagos.

“The deep sea port at Olokola in Ogun Waterside, my administration has taken it to some extent before it was stalled. I want to call on our governor to complete it just as he did with the airport.

“For our people here in Ijebu East, I share in some of your pains on the current state of underdevelopment, especially because I am aware that this whole community should be thriving in wealth and prosperity especially with the abundance of natural resources which God Almighty has endowed us which has the capacity to sustain an entire nation.

“During my time as Governor of Ogun State, we discovered that Ogun East has the largest deposit of Bitumen anywhere in Nigeria. Our vision then was very clear: to create a whole new city for Bitumen mining and exploration which we believe would increase the economic prosperity and impact positively on the lives of the people living in the area.

“We envisioned this area bubbling with multinational investments, industries, jobs, and infrastructure, all driven by Bitumen exploration and processing.

“Unfortunately, that vision stalled due to neglect after our administration. That is why I started by sympathizing with you because I understand your frustration and share in your hope for a new dawn.
When you sent me to Abuja as your Senator, I took it as a sacred responsibility, not only to make laws (which of course is the primary responsibility of the Senate), but also to leverage on relationships with the President and other agencies of government at the executive level to influence government policies and attract development projects that can revive and empower our communities.

“I am in contact with, and delighted to inform you that the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, under the exceptional leadership of my friend and brother, Mr. Dele Alake, and in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has assured that the Bitumen wealth of Ijebu East will soon be put to productive use. I have every confidence in that assurance because Dele Alake is not only a trusted colleague and friend of over four decades; he is a man of results.

“Let me say with emphasis, the mining sector under President Tinubu has received greater attention and the revenue from the solid minerals sector has grown from ₦6 billion to ₦38 billion in just one year, a record-breaking transformation driven by efficiency, transparency, and accountability. And this was made possible by the President’s bold declarations that the era of exporting raw minerals is over and that mining licences will only be granted to investors who commit to local processing and value addition as a means of creating jobs for our local population and industries to ensure that prosperity derives from mining stay within Nigeria.

“This is the practical demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda, an agenda built on reform, innovation, and inclusive growth. It is about vision that meets commitment to drive transformation.

“Let me also say that while we continue to pursue large-scale national and industrial projects, we have not neglected the grassroots. Our representation has been deliberate and people-focused. We have facilitated the installation of a solar-powered borehole in Igbaga, Ijebu-Imushin, to provide safe and sustainable water for the community. We have carried out multiple empowerment programmes across Ogun East Senatorial that include Interest-Free microcredit schemes, skills acquisition training, and distribution of start-up kits and capital to beneficiaries to support small-scale businesses.”

Senator Daniel posited that, over 4,000 people across all the Local Government areas in Ogun East Senatorial district have benefited from his eye-care services, including surgeries, free glasses, and medical interventions.