Hope rises for Ogun’s bitumen deposit

The Federal Government will soon commence exploration of bitumen in Ogun State, former governor and senator representing Ogun East at the National Assembly, Gbenga Daniel, has disclosed.  It has been estimated that Nigeria has a reserve of about 42.74 billion metric tons of bitumen, mostly in Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states. Ondo State […]

The Federal Government will soon commence exploration of bitumen in Ogun State, former governor and senator representing Ogun East at the National Assembly, Gbenga Daniel, has disclosed.

 It has been estimated that Nigeria has a reserve of about 42.74 billion metric tons of bitumen, mostly in Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states. Ondo State is said to be the second-largest reserve of bitumen in the world.

 During the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Ondo State under late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was awarded a bitumen mining licence. 

 The federal government had expressed worry that the country imports over 600,000 tons of asphalt per annum and spends billions of naira on importation of asphalt every year.

 The government believed that local production of bitumen will reduce imports of asphalt by contractors.

 In Ijebu East, an on Ogun LG close to Ondo State, lies huge bitumen deposit.

 Daniel said the bitumen deposit was discovered by his administration while serving as governor of the state in Ijebu East LG.

 He explained that his administration had envisioned creating a whole new city for bitumen mining and exploration aimed to increase the economic prosperity of Ogun State.

 Daniel expressed disappointment that the vision was stalled due to neglect by successive administrations in the state.

 Speaking at Ijebu Ife at the Midterm Community Assessment Review Tour of Ijebu East LG, Ogun East Senatorial District,  Daniel hinted that the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, assured him that the bitumen wealth of Ijebu East will soon be put to productive use in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 “During my time as governor of Ogun State, we discovered that Ogun East has the largest deposit of Bitumen anywhere in Nigeria. Our vision then was very clear: to create a whole new city for Bitumen mining and exploration which we believe would increase the economic prosperity and impact positively on the lives of the people living in the area. We envisioned this area bubbling with multinational investments, industries, jobs, and infrastructure, all driven by bitumen exploration and processing.

 “Unfortunately, that vision stalled due to neglect after our administration. That is why I started by sympathizing with you because I understand your frustration and share in your hope for a new dawn.

 “I am in contact with, and delighted to inform you that the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, under the exceptional leadership of my friend and brother, Mr. Dele Alake, and in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has assured that the bitumen wealth of Ijebu East will soon be put to productive use. I have every confidence in that assurance because Dele Alake is not only a trusted colleague and friend of over four decades; he is a man of results”, Daniel stated.

 The senator expressed belief that the FG will fulfil its promise on the bitumen exploration in Ogun East, emphasizing that the mining sector under President Tinubu has received greater attention, with the revenue from the solid minerals sector grown from N6 billion to N38 billion in just one year.

 He noted that “the record-breaking transformation was driven by efficiency, transparency, accountability and by the President’s bold declarations that mining licences will only be granted to investors who commit to local processing and value addition as a means of creating jobs for our local population and industries to ensure that prosperity derives from mining stay within Nigeria”.

 

 

 

The senator, who rued the loss of Dangote Refinery initially situated in Ogun Waterside Local Government to Lagos State, emphasized that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the bitumen refinery is actualized in Ogun.