Says port, LNG projects to transform Ogun Waterside into energy, maritime hub

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has approved the construction of the J4-Gao Road in Ogun Waterside Local Council as part of measures to open the axis and provide critical infrastructure to support the emerging investments in the area.

Abiodun disclosed this on Wednesday during an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ engagement meeting held in Ibiade, headquarters of Ogun Waterside Local Council.

The governor, who lamented the prolonged neglect of the area by successive administrations, said the decision to construct the road was informed by the strategic importance of Ogun Waterside to the state’s emerging economic and industrial landscape.

He also disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the construction of a four-kilometre bridge that would connect the council to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing the development as a major infrastructure intervention that would facilitate access to the area and support the take-off of major investments planned for the axis.

According to him, the proposed infrastructure would complement the development of the Gateway Deep Seaport and the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project, both of which are expected to significantly alter the economic profile of Ogun Waterside and strengthen the state’s position in the maritime, energy and logistics sectors.

Abiodun expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the development of the deep seaport and other strategic projects in the area, saying the projects would position Ogun State as a major energy, maritime and international trade hub.

He, however, announced that the groundbreaking ceremony for the deep seaport had been scheduled for November, with construction expected to commence before the end of the year and be completed by 2030.

The governor said the development of the port was the culmination of sustained efforts by his administration to create an enabling environment for large-scale investments, stressing that the administration had consistently pursued infrastructure and policy interventions designed to make Ogun State more attractive to investors.

He noted that the deep seaport and associated investments would create significant employment and business opportunities, particularly for young people and residents of Ogun Waterside.

Abiodun noted that the strategic investments in the area were expected to generate more than 50,000 direct employment opportunities, while also creating extensive opportunities across logistics, transportation, construction, hospitality, services, manufacturing and other sectors.

He, therefore, called on party members to intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections and urged voters to support APC candidates across the ballot, from the presidential election to the State House of Assembly.

Speaking at the event, The APC Presidential and Governorship Campaign Director-General, Senator Lekan Mustapha, urged residents to protect the development gains recorded in the area under the APC-led government.

Mustapha cautioned them against taking political decisions that could jeopardise the ongoing transformation, urging the people to remain committed to the party and its candidates in the 2027 elections.

Also speaking, a former Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Segun Awonusi, commended Abiodun for what he described as his role in driving the development taking place in Ogun Waterside.