Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, has approved the construction of the J4-Gao Road in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area as part of measures to open up the axis and provide critical infrastructure to support the emerging investments in the area.
Abiodun disclosed this at an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting held in Ibiade, headquarters of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.
The Governor, who lamented the prolonged neglect of the area by successive administrations, said the decision to construct the J4-Gao Road was informed by the strategic importance of Ogun Waterside to the State’s emerging economic and industrial landscape.
He also disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the construction of a four-kilometre bridge that would connect the local government to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He described the development as a major infrastructure intervention that would facilitate access to the area and support the take-off of major investments planned for the axis.
According to him, the proposed infrastructure would complement the development of the Gateway Deep Sea Port and the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project, both of which are expected to significantly alter the economic profile of Ogun Waterside and strengthen the State’s position in the maritime, energy and logistics sectors.
Abiodun expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the development of the Deep Sea Port and other strategic projects in the area, saying the projects would position Ogun State as a major energy, maritime and international trade hub.
He announced that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Deep Sea Port has been scheduled for November, with construction expected to commence before the end of the year and be completed by 2030.
The Governor said the development of the port was the culmination of sustained efforts by his administration to create an enabling environment for large-scale investments.
He stressed that the administration had consistently pursued infrastructure and policy interventions designed to make Ogun more attractive to investors.
According to him, the Deep Sea Port and associated investments would create significant employment and business opportunities, particularly for young people and residents of Ogun Waterside.
The Governor therefore urged youths in the area to acquire the skills and competencies required to take advantage of the opportunities that would emerge from the projects.
“These projects will change the economic fortunes of Ogun Waterside.
“Our young people must begin to prepare themselves now to take advantage of the opportunities that will come with these investments,” he said.
Abiodun noted that the strategic investments in the area are expected to generate more than 50,000 direct employment opportunities, while also creating extensive opportunities across logistics, transportation, construction, hospitality, services, manufacturing and other sectors.
The Governor said the development of the Deep Sea Port would also complement Ogun’s growing industrial base and strategic location within the Lagos-Ogun economic corridor, further strengthening the State’s reputation as Nigeria’s industrial capital.
He described Ogun Waterside as strategically important to the State, noting that the local government has 126 polling units and about 62,000 registered voters.
Abiodun urged residents and APC members in the area to remain united and sustain their support for the party, saying continued political stability and support would help consolidate the gains recorded by the APC-led administrations at the State and Federal levels.
He called on party members to intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections and urged voters to support APC candidates across the ballot, from the presidential election to the State House of Assembly.
The Governor assured the people that continued support for the party would strengthen the prospects for sustained development and effective representation.
Speaking at the event, the APC Presidential and Governorship Campaign Director-General, Senator Lekan Mustapha, urged residents to protect the development gains recorded in the area under the APC-led government.
Mustapha cautioned against taking political decisions that could jeopardise the ongoing transformation, urging the people to remain committed to the party and its candidates in the 2027 elections.
Also speaking, a former Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Segun Awonusi, commended Abiodun for what he described as his role in driving the development taking place in Ogun Waterside.
Awonusi expressed confidence that the people of the area would reciprocate the administration’s interventions with massive support for the APC in the 2027 elections.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
