The Ondo State Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the deep seaport project proposed for the state commences.
The Federal Executive Council, during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, had already approved the operating licence for the port in the state. However, the project has yet to commence.
Aiyedatiwa explained that the delay was due to an error detected in the names listed on the port’s operating licence.
Speaking at a World Press Conference held at Araromi Seaside on Saturday, ahead of his inauguration ceremony on Monday in Akure, the governor assured that the errors would be corrected, investors would be attracted, and the project would drive development in the state.
“Let me inform you now, as some of you may not be aware, that an error was made when the licence was issued. It was mistakenly written in the name of one potential partner, which should not have been the case. As a result, there was a dispute, and we had to take steps to rectify the error,” Aiyedatiwa said.
“You know, it’s almost like starting a new process entirely. Due to the procedures involved, the initial analysis has changed over time. We now have to develop a new business case and a full business case for submission to the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
“We need to go through all the necessary steps, present new documents, and correct the names. Additionally, we must assess whether the so-called investors are still interested or if they have chosen to invest elsewhere due to the delays. Right now, we are at the final stage of correcting the name and seeking other investors to partner with us,” he added.
As he prepares to begin his administration, Aiyedatiwa reiterated his commitment to continuing ongoing infrastructural projects, particularly road construction initiated by his predecessor, the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, across the 18 local government areas of the state.
“Let me start with infrastructure, particularly roads. Every government that comes into power must build and maintain roads, and that is exactly what we are doing.
“We construct new roads and maintain the old ones. As you can see, even within my short time in office, by the end of last year, we had completed 60 kilometres of roads. By God’s grace, I will build more roads and maintain existing ones. Anyone who comes after me will also build roads,” he stated.
Source: Punch
