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AKURE: President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the government and people of Ondo State under Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu that the Federal Government will meet its obligations in due course to the State on the construction of the Ore Interchange Flyover.
President Buhari who had earlier commissioned the Ore Interchange Flyover on the Shagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway in Ondo State stated this on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 with an assurance that the Federal Government will sustain massive investments in the provision of infrastructure across the country.
While commissioning the flyover at Ore town in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, President Buhari who was on a working visit to Ondo State said that the Interchange will boost economic activities in the State, ease traffic congestion as well as reduce accidents often experienced on the major road.
President Buhari recalled that the re-designing and construction of the road to accommodate Interchange Flyover was overdue as a result of the growing population in Ore.
His words, ”During the civil war and during my campaigns since 2002, I have become familiar with the terrain of Ore which is a connecting city between the Southwest and the Eastern parts of
our country.
”As a result of this, the city has a cosmopolitan population that is in the neighbourhood of 300,000.
”This is a city that can be described as a mini-Nigeria as almost all ethnic groups of our country are happily represented here”.
The President stated further, ”Let me commend 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”.
He praised a consortium of Nigerian Engineers for the design and supervision of the impressive-flyover of international standards.
”We are proud of you and we want to assure our people that we would continue to utilise the expertise and experience of local consultants who are competing favourably with their counterparts globally.
”Let me also advise that a maintenance system should be in place to safeguard road users throughout the lifetime of this very impressive fly-over,” he posited.
While commending the impactful performance of the current Ondo State administration of Governor Akeredolu, the President thumped up to Ondo State government for being one of the first set of states to commence the payment of the new minimum wage.
”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.
”You have been able to achieve these feats in spite of limited available resources”, he posited.
He affirmed that the Akeredeolu administration had cleared six months out of the seven months arrears of salaries/pensions owed by the previous administration.
He also lauded the state government for being up-to-date in the payment of salaries and pensions.
”I am not surprised at this because available records show that Ondo State has recorded the highest percentage leap in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) among the States, due to the effort of the APC government here,” he said.
Reaffirming the resolve of the Federal Government to continue to invest heavily in the provision of infrastructure, the President announced that his administration has expended more on the provision of railway services, rehabilitation and construction of roads and bridges.
Hear him, ”We are confronting the infrastructure deficit head on.
”At the inception of our administration, we were faced with decayed infrastructure on our road network and railways, because of long years of neglect and lack of investment.
”However, our administration, as a result of our commitment to bridge this deficit, decided to source funds and address the issue.
”Let me commend the collaborative efforts between the Federal Government and Ondo State Government in respect of this project.
”I commend this type of collaboration between the Federal Government and other State Governments.
”No one tier of government can on its own achieve the overall development of our dear country”.
Earlier, the President while commissioning Industrial hub congratulated the Government and people of Ondo State on the remarkable achievement.
”I am impressed with what is on ground here and anticipate on the positive impact this will have on the people of this State,” he enthused.
In his speech at the Ore Flyover, Governor Akeredeolu told the President that the commissioning of the star projects were 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 esteemed presence, the Governor 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 totalling about N10.9 billion.
The projects include Aboto-Olokola Road Project, Ore-Okitipupa Road Project, Construction of the Interchange Flyover across Lago-Benin Expressway at Ore, among others.
At the industrial hub,Governor Akeredolu announced that thousands of youth are directly employed in the industrial hub which already has several factories including a Medium Density Fibre (MDF) factory, cassava to ethanol factory, high density Fibreboard 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 the 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,” he said.
Akeredolu however disclosed 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.
