A frontline governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye has revealed why the state is not working in the past 48 years.
The aspirants lamented that since 1976 when the state was created, it has been led by politicians, who have not been able to think out of the box and tap the abundant natural resources with which God has blessed the state.
Akingboye stated this on Monday when he spoke with journalists at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat after picking his governorship Expression of Interest and Nomination forms.
He, has, however pledged to embark on aggressive infrastructural development, end insecurity through job creation and ensure constant electricity in Ondo state if elected the next governor of the state under the platform of PDP.
He said l as a business man, he understands how to convert wealth to resources for the development of the state.
He said: “For any society to develop, you must take care of the security of the state, of your people and your investors. When I become the governor, the issue of kidnapping, the issue of robbery will stop in Ondo state because I will focus on security and the only way you can do it is to give employment to all. That one will be sorted out in three months.
“I will now look into building proper infrastructure in that state because without infrastructure, you cannot grow. Then there must be 24/7 power in Ondo state. You will see what will happen if I put those three in place in the first 100 days.”
Making reference to Canada which, according to him, generates a lot of wealth from bitumen, Akingboye said that Ondo state has the second largest deposit of Bitumen in Africa including other natural resources, which he intends to explore to generate wealth for the state.
He said that he will explore the coast lines in Ondo state and earn more revenue by developing the tourism sector and building sea ports.
“Ondo state is well placed in Africa, a state that is sitting on a lot of mineral resources. The only thing that is giving money to Canada today is the bitumen. Ondo state and my local government is where they have the second largest deposit of Bitumen while Venezuela has the third largest deposit of bitumen. As we speak, it has not been touched. We are talking of an investment of trillions of dollars.
“Ondo state is the only state in Africa that is sitting on the largest coastline from Ayetoro to Shekelewi in Delta and the boundary of Ogun state of almost 147km, untouched. Across the globe, where people make most of the money is on the shore line because that is where you find the beauty of the city and tourists will come there but my state is sitting on 147km untouched.
“I must tell you that in the whole of Africa, it is only in Ondo state, Ayetoro that you will find a deep-sea point that a vessel can come from the Atlantic Ocean that can carry about 200,000 tons and can easily come in and berth without dredging.
“We have the best granite marble in Ondo state, we have lime stone for cement, we have cocoa in Ondo state. Before we discovered oil, we were feeding on the cocoa. We have timber, we have rubber plantation.
“The Malaysians came to Okitipupa palm plantation in 1976 to pick palm seeds. Today, Malaysia export palm oil product up to $7billion every year. My local government that they came to pick this sample can’t even export N100,000.00 worth of oil produce. The company is almost moribund.
“There was a time that in the whole of West Africa, people come to Oluwa glass to buy glass materials and tumblers. All these companies are moribund. As I speak to you, in our own land, we have silicon sand that people are looking for to produce glass.”
He said that he will also explore the proximity of the state to Lekki Free Trade Zone and fill up business gaps and ensure that the state benefits from the business activities created by the business edifice.
“Today Lagos is generating a lot of revenue as IGR. There is a local government in Lagos state, in Ibeju Lekki where they have the Dangote Refinery. The refinery is worth over $20billion investment, if you look at the right-hand side, we have the deep-sea port and a free zone, that one is a lot of money. You will see the Indomie company, now they are trying to build the Lagos City airport. All these investments, of over $40billion are sitting on a circumference of 60km radius in Lagos state,” he said.
