PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday inaugurated the Ore Interchange Flyover on the Shagamu–Ore–Benin Expressway in Ondo State with an assurance that the Federal Government will sustain massive investments in the provision of infrastructure across the country.
President Buhari during a working visit to Ondo State also commissioned the Ondo-Linyi industrial hub.
Speaking at the inauguration of the flyover at Ore town in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, the President said the interchange would boost economic activities in the state, ease traffic congestion as well as reduce accidents often experienced on the major road.
He further assured the government and people of Ondo State under Oluwarotimi Akeredolu that the Federal Government would meet its obligations to the state on the construction of this interchange flyover in due course.
READ ALSO:
- Reps pass bill to grant immunity to serving legislative officers
- Sagamu: Protesters attempted to loot banks, gov. Abiodun says, threatens residents
- Three out of 19 sectors recorded positive growth in Q4 of 2019 GDP- NBS
- JAMB registers 1.9m candidates for 2020 UTME, surpasses 2018 record
- Reps threaten to have heads of defaulting agencies arrested if…
- Investments In Nigeria dropped by $60.98 billion in 2019- NIPC
President Buhari recalled that the re-designing and construction of the road to accommodate interchange flyover was overdue because of the growing population in Ore.
”During the civil war and during my campaigns since 2002, I became familiar with the terrain of Ore which is a connecting city between the Southwest and the Eastern parts of our country,” he said.
”As a result of this, the city has a cosmopolitan population of about 300,000.”
This, he said is a city that can be described as a mini-Nigeria as almost all ethnic groups of the country are happily represented there.
Buhari further commended Governor Akeredolu and his team for their great efforts and professionalism in putting this project in place.
”This project is executed in line with the spirit and drive of the Federal Government which puts great emphasis on infrastructural development across our country, especially in the area of transportation, ” Buhari said.
The president advised that a maintenance system should be put in place to safeguard road users throughout the lifetime of this very impressive fly-over.
He also lauded the state government for being up-to-date in payment of salaries and pensions, adding that the current Ondo State administration has had an impactful performance.
‘’It is gratifying to note that Ondo State is one of the first few states in Nigeria that have started implementing the new minimum wage,” Buhari added
He stated that the governor has been able to achieve these feats in spite of limited available resources.
Reaffirming the resolve of the Federal Government to continue to invest heavily in the provision of infrastructure, the president Buhari announced that his administration has expended more on the provision of railway services, rehabilitation and construction of roads and bridges.
President Buhari, however stated that his administration, due to its commitment to bridge the infrastructural deficit, decided to source funds and address the issue.
Earlier, the president while commissioning the Industrial hub congratulated the government and people of Ondo State on the remarkable achievement.
He also commended the Chinese investors who saw Nigeria and Ondo State in particular as a viable investment destination.
Speaking at the Ore Flyover, Governor Akeredeolu told president Buhari that the commissioning of the star projects was part of activities to commemorate the third year anniversary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration in the state.
While thanking the president for honouring the state with his presence,Governor Akeredeolu requested the refund of state funds spent on federal roads in the state.
He specifically appealed to the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to facilitate the approval of the president, for the funds expended on all Federal Government projects in Ondo State, including the interchange totaling about N10.89bn.
The projects include Aboto – Olokola road project, Ore – Okitipupa Road Project, construction of the interchange flyover across Lagos – Benin expressway at Ore, among others.
At the industrial hub, the Ondo Governor announced that thousands of youth were directly employed in the industrial hub, which already has several factories including a medium density fibre (MDF) factory, cassava to ethanol factory, high density Fibre-board and plywood production line and a paper production factory.
”The employment ratio of Nigerians to expatriates here is in the range of 40:1 in favour of Nigerians.
”Our farmers benefit directly from supply of raw materials, and the multiplier effects have stimulated logistics, hospitality, construction, banking and other service sectors of our economy in Ondo State and Nigeria in general,” Akeredeolu said.
Akeredolu announced that in the near future, a high volume vehicle assembly and production plant, wine distillery, dairy factory, a clothing production company and a metal production company would be established in the industrial hub.