President Bola Tinubu has greenlit a project for the construction of Inland Dry Port (IDP) in Ijebu-Ode in a move that lends credence to an exclusive report by Peoples Gazette that he was solidly rooting for the creation of Ijebu state.
Three days after The Gazette blew the lid on Mr Tinubu’s conversation with the Awujale, Sikiru Adetona, promising to support the creation of Ijebu State, the president has approved that a dry port facility be erected in Ijebu-Ode.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola announced plans for the new facility in Abuja on Monday while defending the 2025 budget before the Senate Committee on Marine Transport and House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbour, Maritime Safety, Inland Waterways and Shipping Services.
Mr Adegboyega relayed the president’s goodwill and plan to decongest the Western port system by strategically establishing Inland Dry Ports in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state and Moniya in Oyo state.
“Pursuant to its mandate and the charge given by Mr President, the Ministry is developing dry ports at Ijebu-Ode and Moniya in Ogun State and Oyo State respectively,” the minister said. “These IDPs are targeted for fast-tracked delivery to decongest the Western Port System. Design consultancies for the project are ongoing.”
The dry port, if completed, will boost Ijebu-Ode’s economic viability and put to bed concerns that the region lacked the wherewithal to be an independent state.
Mr Adetona obtained Mr Tinubu’s strongest assurances that Ijebu-Ode State will stand on its own as a state, independent of Ogun state. The Awujale informed the president that modalities were underway to guarantee the successful transition of the region into a state, provided he supports it.
The president received the revered traditional ruler at his Bourdillon residence on January 5 and promised his guest that he would not withhold support for the proposed state just northeast of Lagos, sources familiar with the details told The Gazette under anonymity to discuss privileged conversations.
