We’ll prospect for oil in Tongeji Island, Olokola in 2023 — Abiodun

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, says his administration will intensify efforts in collaboration with technical partners and investors to explore oil prospects in Tongeji Island and Olokola this year.

Governor Abiodun who stated this in his new year message to the people of the State, entitled, “The Promising Future is Here”, said apart from human, the state is also blessed with abundant untapped natural resources which his administration is poised to explore.

“As the year progresses, we shall commence the implementation of some of our other initiatives: We will be partnering with others in the private sector in exploring the oil prospects of our State in the Tongeji Island and Olokola. We have no doubt that with the right technical partners and investors, Ogun State will soon proudly join the comity of oil producing States in Nigeria.

“We will, through our rural electrification programme provide solar powered lighting systems for our underserved communities. We will continue investing in the provision and supply of water. We already started this by carrying out a major overhaul of the Arakanga water works gates, which has provided for the adequate storage and supply of potable water to the people of Abeokuta and its environs. We will also commence laying new pipes across the State to replace the old ones laid over fifty years ago, alongside the implementation of other creative initiatives which on completion, will solve the perennial shortage of water in any part of our State.

“We are determined to provide a statewide steady supply of electricity through the implementation of our Light UP OGUN Project, this will allow us to generate uninterrupted power to our major towns and cities, from an Independent Power Project through a PPP Joint Venture. We believe this will free up more power supply to our smaller towns and villages there by improving the overall supply to the entire state.

“We will also soon be implementing our e -mobility and Gas Mobility projects through which all our motorcycles will be battery powered and our mass transport system will be powered by compressed natural gas” he stated.

The Governor further assured that the new year would see the completion of the 250 bed hospital at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, in partnership with the Afrexim Bank, which according to him would be a Medical Center of Excellence.

He added that the Mother and Child Specialist Hospital at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, would be built in partnership with the Abdul Samad Rabiu Foundation.

The Governor noted that urban renewal and regeneration programmes that would focus on major urban centres such as  Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Mowe Ibafo, and Ota, would be aggressively pursued, while the state would leverage on the Lagos  Blue and Red light rail lines for the efficient transportation of goods and passengers especially to Kajola and Agbara axis of the State.

While assuring the people of their security, Governor Abiodun maintained that his government would continue to be proactive and invest heavily in security infrastructure through capacity building and training of security personnel, adding that the provision of conducive learning environment for school children and the quest to achieve the 2,500 affordable houses would equally be intensified in the new year.

“Undoubtedly, we have seriously improved on the infrastructural deficit we inherited, we have put in place reforms and policies that have allowed for the actualization of our vision, and actively promoted a hard earned but rewarding, enabling environment for socio-economic development.

“We have created and renewed the trust between the Administration the Private sector and our indigenes.We have increased our ranking on the ease of doing business index and turned the push factor to Ogun State to a pull factor,” the Governor noted.

While praying for a prosperous 2023, the Governor,  however emphasized that despite the numerous challenges including the after effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, his administration has discharged its mandate by putting the people at the centre of governance through meaningful engagement in policy formulation and implementation, which has allowed them to contribute to the determination of the infrastructural projects required in their communities.

“This people-centred approach has effectively prevented the continuance and emergence of white elephant projects in our State. Our programmes and projects have been carefully and strategically structured for sustainable growth and development ,leading to increased individual prosperity for all our people.

”Our I.S.E.Y.A. mantra, has guided our approach to governance and development in Infrastructure, Social Welfare and Wellbeing, Education, Youth Empowerment and Agriculture. These have served as the solid foundation of our ‘Building our Future Together Agenda’.

“In the last year, we have successfully executed all the beneficial policies, programmes and projects we mapped out ,and additionally embarked on the formulation of new ones. Collectively, these have strengthened the positive impacts of our development agenda,”he stressed.

The Governor while appreciating all stakeholders for their support, called on the people to take ownership of infrastructure provided by government, appealing to them to conduct themselves in an orderly manner during the forth coming elections.