By Sola Obagbemisoye
The Executive Chairman of Ose local government area of Ondo State, Hon. (Prince) Dennis Adekunle has lauded efforts of the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu over the Ondo Seaport approval by the federal government.
In a message, the council boss noted that the approval was as a result of governor Akeredolu’s avowed commitment to having a better Ondo State.
“Congratulations to Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON for this major achievement and congratulations to the people of Sunshine state for witnessing this monumental economic breakthrough.”
He said the approval of the seaport and other laudable achievements are indications that peoples support for the governor is not a misplaced one.
“When some of us took the biggest risks of our lives by supporting Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN in 2016 because of our individual and collective convictions about his ability to develop the land and its people, some doubting Thomases simply did not believe in us thinking we are just taking unnecessary risks.”
“Today, we have every reason to thank God because we have not only been vindicated but proved them wrong following the unprecedented achievements recorded by Arakunrin Akeredolu since his assumption in office.”
“The lattest is the approval and issuance of operating licences for one billion dollar – about N461 billion multipurpose Ondo Deep Seaport.”
“Apart from the fact that the port has the deepest draught in West Africa, it is naturally positioned to allow easy movement of goods and services to the South/East, South/South, North/ Central, North/West of the country”, Dennis Adekunle said.
According to the chairman, “To me as a critical stakeholder in the ‘project Ondo State’, the multipurpose deep seaport will undoubtedly boost the state socioeconomy and impact the southwest signicantly as many potential investors in the areas of logistic services, hospitality industries, real estate and transportation are expected to flood the state.”
“In the same vein, the Akure Airport that has been hitherto underutilized for years will now become an international airport as the nearest airport to the state coaster area.”
“Judging by the global economic indexes, ports have today become the epicenter of ‘blue economy’ including human transmission, tourism, liesure, fishing, aquaculture and offshore renewable energy. Consciquently, these are the areas where Ondo deep seaport is expected to play a significant roles to provide jobs for about 40,000 unemployed Nigerians.”
“The deep seaport according to a preliminary technical reports is only expected to function as an alternative but decongest Lagos seaport by handling about 2.7 million Twenty Equipment Unit TEUs, 16.7 million Liquid Cargo and 4.0 million Motor Tankers MT doy bulk Cargo annually among other functions.”
“With the above statistics, the state may no longer rely heavily on statutory allocations from the federal government for it statutory duties and functions.”
“Congratulations to Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON for this major achievement and congratulations to the people of Sunshine state for witnessing this monumental economic breakthrough.”
