Gov., Dapo Abiodun with his committee. |
The
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has disclosed that his administration
would not allow the Tongeji Island, an island that shares boundary with the
Republic of Benin to be taken away by Nigeria's neighbouring country.
He
expressed the determination of his administration to do all in its power to
make life meaningful for the citizens of the state living within the Island.
Prince
Abiodun said this when he received the Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of
Benin, Ambassador Emmanuel Kayode Oguntuase and the Flag Officer Commanding
Western Region(FOC), Rear Admiral Oladele Daji.
He
noted that the Island which had been on his administration's radar because of
its huge deposit of petroleum resources, was of huge interest to his
administration.
Abiodun
said the visit of the Ambassador would only make his administration to act even
quicker and ensure that the Republic of Benin that shares boundary with the
state does not take advantage of the Island located in the Ipokia Local
Government area of the state, added that his administration would immediately
set up a team to visit the Island on a fact finding mission and to find out
what could be done to assure the people of the area that they have not being
forgotten.
Gov.
Abiodun further disclosed that his administration had informed the Federal
Ministry of Petroleum that the Island was of huge interest to the state
government, adding that his government had also began discussions with
investors on the way forward.
"
It is a place where we do have valuable reserve and I had mentioned to the
Federal Ministry of Petroleum that the Tongeji Island and Ogun Waterside are
areas of interest to the state government and we have began discussions with
others to explore partnership agreements under a Public Private Partnership to
see what we can do in terms of prospecting the opportunities that lay beneath
the soil in Tongeji Island and Ogun Waterside," he said.
He
added that his administration would fast-track the process to see other
services that could be rendered to the people of the area and promised that he
would take the issue up with the National Borders Commission.
The
governor said he would also engage the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria
Commission (DAWN) and involve Lagos and Oyo State governors that also share
border towns with the Republic of Benin.
Abiodun
while thanking the Flag Officer Commanding the Western Region, Rear Admiral
Oladele Daji for ensuring that the water ways were free and devoid of anarchy,
urged the FOC not to hesitate to bring to his notice issues that are germane to
the security of the region.
In
his remark, the Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Ambassador
Emmanuel Kayode Oguntuase disclosed that his visit to the state governor was to
intimate him on happenings in the area as the closet to the Island, adding that
it was important to let the over One thousand inhabitants of the Island to feel
governments presence, as the Republic of Benin was presently trying hard to
lure the people and take over the Island because of the huge petroleum
resources embedded beneath the ground.
The
Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin and the Flag Officer Commanding
Western Nigeria, had with them the Consular Officer, Mrs. Olubunmi Olanusi,
Commandant, Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Abeokuta, Commandant Dauda
and the Deputy Defence Attache, Commandant Tony Bassey.
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