Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State on Wednesday met with critical stakeholders to seek their buy-in into the actualisation of the Port of Ondo project.
Addressing the stakeholders including Royal Fathers,prominent leaders of the affected communities, project consultants and some maritime experts with top government officials at the International Events and Cultural Centre (DOME) in Akure, Akeredolu called for concerted efforts at realising all the economic potentials of the Port.
Governor Akeredolu noted that the stakeholders’ meeting is a statutory requirement needed to complete all the strategic conditions for getting a Deep Seaport License by Ondo State from the Federal Government.
Highlighting the stages at actualising the Deep Seaport dream for the state, Arakunrin Akeredolu said the state was making progress at convincing the Federal Government on the project and had spent millions of naira on the required studies undertaken by local and international consultants.
He said the third stage would be the outcomes of the day’s meeting expected to be assurances of conducive working environment for consultants and other technical experts.
The Governor passionately pleaded with the stakeholders to key into the project initiative for the prosperity of the Sunshine State to come alive.
Port of Ondo according to Governor Akeredolu is undoubtedly the much needed key to unlock the socioeconomic potentials of the areas, as over Five Hundred Billion Naira investment inflows will come with the project.
“The Deep Seaport and the Industrial City Project will bring a massive inflow of investment into the South of Ondo in general, but more specifically to the affected areas of Ugbo and Mahin”, he said
He assured persons and communities whose landed property, farm lands or sites of means of livelihood would be affected by the constructions of the projects of adequate compensation and seamless relocation to comfortable sites.
Packaged by Mayowa Owogbade
