Ondo Assembly, NIDCOM Celebrate FG’s Approval Of Licence For Deep Sea Port

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State House of Assembly and Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) have expressed joy over the long awaited approval of operating licence for Port Ondo by the Federal Government.

The State House of Assembly’s Spokesperson,  Olugbenga Omole, in a statement, stated that Ondo Lawmakers noted that the Seaport would not only increase the social economy status of the State, it would also generate revenue into the coffers of the Federal Government.

According to him, “the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Mohammed Buhari gave the approval for the operating licence for the port at the FEC meeting held at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday 17th May,2023.

“The development of the Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje Local Government would be driven by investors through Public Private Partnership (PPP) within a 50 year concession period.”

While describing the long awaited approval as historic, the assembly appreciated the President for the good gesture, saying that the people of the State would forever be grateful to him.

According to the Lawmakers, apart from the fact that the Seaport would create job opportunities for the people of the State, it would also place Ondo State permanently on the international map.

The Lawmakers were full of appreciation to the Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, for his unrelenting efforts since 2017 when he took over the affairs of the State in ensuring that the approval for the operating licence is actualized.

“With this feat, Mr Governor has once again scored a fantastic and unforgettable goal in fact it’s a ’hat-trick’ .

“We also appreciated the Minister for State Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye for his collaboration with other relevant stakeholders at the Federal Level to see that the port becomes a reality.

“It will be recalled that a couple of weeks ago the Ondo State House Assembly at Plenary unanimously urged the Federal Government to do the needful by ensuring that Port Ondo comes alive and today it gladdens our hearts that it has come to pass,we are indeed grateful.”

NIDCOM, chief executive,Abike Dabiri-Erewa noted that “Investment opportunities in Ondo, with a special focus on the deep sea port in the state ,was the theme  of the 2022 National Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS), a brainchild of NIDCOM and the NDSI, which held in November last year.”

Dabiri-Erewa , also congratulated the Ondo State Diaspora Focal Officer, Mr Boye Ologbese, for his tenacity and drive ,adding that “it gladdens the heart to know that the NDIS year-in year-out since its inception four years ago, has been achieving some of its aims and objectives of promoting investment opportunities in Nigeria.

She added that several participants at last year’s NDIS summit, which focussed on Ondo, already indicated interest to invest in  the state.

She expressed optimism that the approval of the deep sea port in the state will engender more business opportunities as well as increase the revenue profile of the country.

Following years of resolve by the Ondo state Government to establish a deep sea port, first at Olokola, which failed to materialize since 2004, the efforts were renewed by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, upon his assumption of office as Governor in 2017.