Nigerian Navy and the Ogun State Government are set to flag-off the ground breaking ceremony of the Naval Base and Dockyard in Ode-Omi, Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state.
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, made this known in his Oke-Mosan office when he received the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mike Oamen.
According to him, the flagging off is coming at a critical time when the state needs to strengthen its security along its waterways to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the porous security situation in that corridor and to protect the recently discovered hydrocarbon minerals (petroleum gas) in the area.
Governor Abiodun added that the citing of the Naval Base and Dockyard in the state would further send a strong signal that the security architecture in Ogun State is further strengthened and safe for more investment.
The Governor further disclosed that the state is looking forward to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Naval Base and Dockyard, adding that it is important to have a Naval presence in the state to ensure that unscrupulous elements do not take advantage of all the economic benefits in the horizon.
Governor Abiodun also said that the access road to the Naval Base and Dockyard would be ready by the end of the week.
“We are looking forward to the ground breaking ceremony. I have with me pictures of works that have been ongoing to allow us access the said property and I am told that sometime by the end of this week, the access road that is being worked on by our Ministry of Works and Infrastructure will be fully accessible
“We are going further not just in making the place accessible but in actually preparing the site for the ground breaking ceremony and it will be a befitting preparation.
“This will allow us to underscore the importance that we attach to the Nigerian Navy and how much we look forward to having their presence here to further complement our law enforcement architecture.
“We are looking forward to this ground breaking; we believe that it will send a strong signal that indeed Ogun State is ready to partner with the Navy and also that we will not be a haven for unscrupulous elements.
“The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure is here, and he has briefed me that sometime by the end of this week, on or before, the access road to Ode-Omi, which is where the site for the Naval Base and Dockyard is located, will be ready, and the site itself will be prepared for groundbreaking.
“With the coming of the Navy it would be a good signal that security architecture in Ogun State is further strengthened and it is a place to continue to look at for investment”, he said.
Governor Abiodun who noted that there had been steps to begin the construction of the Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas Project as well as the Ogun State Deep Sea Port project in Ogun Waterside by previous administrations before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, added that the ground breaking of the Naval Base and Dockyard would further improve the economic base of the state.
