Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Monday urged investors in the country and outside the shores to bring their investments to the state He said instead of concentrating their investments in traffic-ridden and human congested Lagos State, investors should consider Ondo.
”My state is blessed with abundant resources”, Akeredolu said in Akure at a meeting with the delegation of Federal Government Industrialization and Economic Diversification team led by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani to his office.
The Governor said Ondo state would be ready to partner with investors so that the State can become the hub of economic activities in Nigeria.
He said, “According to the Nigerian Police Force and Department of Security Services (DSS), Ondo state is the 3rd most secured state in the country
“Therefore, I want to urge investors in the country to come and explore untapped resources which are abundant here.
“We have them in their numbers here, let them come. The rain in here is not much while the harmattan is not harsh.
”Ondo has the second highest reserve of bitumen in the world. Ondo sustained the Western region before independent and during the first republic because of the Cocoa from Ondo state.
“The Federal government should also build a sea port in Ondo state. The Atlantic Ocean that passes through Ondo State is the deepest in West Africa.
”Also, from Araromi in Ilaje is about 45 minutes drive to Ibeju/Lekki in Lagos. So, investors should prefer Ondo state that is free without any traffic to Lagos that is over-congested and has no land?”
The governor further said that the state connects other states across the country for economic and business activities asthose coming from the eastern part, the north and other Niger/Delta States passes through the state while going to Lagos for business transactions.
Speaking, Usani said the federal government has set up an initiative that focuses mainly on Agriculture and Manufacturing sectors in order to explore the opportunities in states in the country.
He said moribund industries would be revived and that agriculture would be made attractive not only to farmers but the youths.
”We are here in view of the Presidential initiative that focuses on the manufacturing and agricultural sectors.
”The Federal Government want to work in conjunction with states so that various moribund industries could be revived towards jobs creation and economic development.”
He promised that something visible will be done for Ondo state before the end of the current financial year.
Partners in the Initiative include the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC), Ministry of Mines and Steels Development, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and Nigerian Export-Import Bank.
Others are Bank of Industry, Ministry of Niger Delta affairs and the New Economic Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD).
In attendance were Deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, Secretary to the State Government, Ifedayo Abegunde, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Olugbenga Ale; the Head of Service, Toyin Akinkuotu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Investment, Boye Oyewumi, among others. On the delegation of the Federal were the representative of Minister of Mines and Steels Development, Mrs Onyeku Okeke, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters, Mrs Fola Oyeyinka, National Coordinator, Senior Investment Corporation, Dora Akugbulo and others.
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