Ogun State has shored up its efforts to join the nation`s oil producing states.
This was disclosed on Wednesday in Abeokuta, the sate capital, by the Commissioner for Finance, Dapo Okubadejo, while giving a breakdown of the state’s 2023 budget to reporters adding that the government had concluded plans to launch Ogun’s ultra-modern transport scheme within the year.
The commissioner said the state government would take steps to explore the possibility of discovering oil in the state during the year.
“We will make efforts to discover oil both in Tongeji Island and Ogun Waterside so that we can be part of oil-producing states,” he added.
Okubadejo added that the state`s agro-cargo airport would be ready for use before the end of the first quarter of this year.
The commissioner further stated that the airport would provide both cargo and passenger services when it came on stream.
“It is not just an airport. The facility is an aerotropolis, an airport city. The aim is to improve the economic viability of the state. It has complementary facilities that will support its viability,” said Okubadejo.
“It will have logistics and distribution zones, trailer parks, and warehouses, among others. The airport will also have maintenance repairs and operation facilities, which is one of the very few in West Africa,” he stated.
Okubadejo revealed that the government would soon conclude discussions with investors to assist it in unlocking the opportunities in the Olokola Free Trade Zone.
“All these are efforts intended to improve the socio-economic development of the state.
“The Ogun government would depend mostly on public-private partnerships to achieve the projects.”