BANYO TEMITAYO
GOVERNOR Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has commended the Dangote Group for situating the biggest investment in the country in Lagos State, and for the positive development which the Dangote Oil Refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Complex will bring to Lagos and the Nigerian economy.
The governor, who gave the commendation during a facility tour of the Dangote Oil Refinery, Petrochemical Complex, Fertiliser Plant and Subsea Gas Pipeline Projects at Ibeju-Lekki at the weekend, said the refinery and fertiliser projects would meet the yearnings of Nigerians.
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on his part, thanked the Governor for his support and for making Lagos a haven for investors, adding that the Dangote Group would do its best to make the Epe axis a hub of industrialisation through job creation and other economic empowerment activities.
Sanwo-Olu was received by the President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote; Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Devakumar Edwin; and Chief Operations Officer, Dangote Oil Refinery Company, Giuseppe Surace.
The governor, who said he was impressed with the progress of the projects, noted that Dangote had taken into account gender inclusion and secured the future of the youths in the host communities, in Lagos and Nigeria in general.
He pledged to complement the efforts of the Group and boost infrastructure with adequate road networks.
Sanwo-Olu further thanked Dangote for his investments, adding that the Lagos State Government would create an enabling environment to foster a symbiotic relationship.
To allay the fears of Nigerians, he said, “For all those who are doubting, the Dangote Refinery is activated, the fertiliser plant is activated, and these investments will rejuvenate the entire Ibeju-Lekki-Epe trade corridor.
“This is an exciting time for government; fuel shortage will be a thing of the past with the Dangote Refinery.”
He further stated that, due to the level of development already seen regarding the refinery and petrochemical plant projects, MDAs of the Lagos State Government would be relocating offices to the Lekki corridor.
He said jobs were already being created by the Dangote Refinery and Fertiliser complex, noting that Government could see this and must encourage it.
“The state government will also ensure that the master plan for the free trade zone is followed,” the Governor said.
Dangote noted that even before being commissioned, the Dangote Refinery and Fertiliser projects had created around 20,000 jobs for Nigerians, with the aim of doing more.
He said the Dangote Industries Limited appreciated its host communities across the group, and would boost the fishing industry in the Lekki area by providing boats and jobs within the projects to boost local income.
According to him, the Group has met and exceeded the expectations of the local community.
Dangote added that in a bid to boost local infrastructure and complement the efforts of government, the Group would begin road construction and rehabilitation in May even before any formal agreement was signed.
This, he said, would be with the support of the Executive Order, ‘Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme Order 2019 No. 007 of 2019’.
Among the officials who accompanied the Governor on the facility tour were the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Lola Akande; Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce and Industry, Oladele Ajayi; Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello; and Chairman, Lekki Free Zone Development Company, Abiodun Dabir.
