OSBC Osun State Broadcasting Corporation
The Ogun State government on Tuesday denied a report credited to a PDP stalwart, Segun Sowunmi, for blaming Governor Dapo Abiodun, for losing a N19bn Dangote Refinery to the neighbouring Lagos State.
According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Kunle Somorin, said, the administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun killed the project and frustrated the promoter of Dangote Refinery out of the state.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a report credited to a PDP stalwart, Segun Sowunmi, heaping blame on the successive administrations in the state, for losing a N19bn Dangote Refinery to the neighbouring Lagos State”.
“Any true born Ogun indigene will sincerely be pained by the huge investment loss, especially when Ogun had been marked as the most suitable natural location for the mega project in Olokola Free Trade Zone, in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state”.
“As we are all aware, the penultimate administration made appreciable and concerted efforts to ensure that the Olokola deep sea port and other ancillary projects in the OKFTZ, become a reality, by rallying major players in the oil and gas sector, including Dangote Group”.
“But, the successive government between 2011 and 2019, for reasons best known to it, killed the project and frustrated the promoter of Dangote Refinery out of the state”.
Somorin added, “though, Governor Dapo Abiodun, served as the Chairman of the Committee on the Olokola Free Trade Zone projects during the first term of Senator Amosun, did everything within his power to make sure the project saw the light of day.
“Governor Abiodun, as the chairman of the committee and a big player in the oil and gas industry himself, did everything possible to make sure the project saw the light of the day”.
“The then governor, perhaps, having a personal axe to grind with the promoter of the refinery project, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, frustrated all the efforts of Governor Abiodun and his committee”.