- Safiu Kehinde
The presidency has made clarifications over perceived misconception on the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Ogun State Govermment and one of the world’s leading ports and logisitcs operators, DP World, for the development of Gateway Deep Seaport.
A delegation of Ogun State Government led by Governor Dapo Abiodun, had on Thursday met with DP World in France for the sigining of the MOU which covers both the deep seaport project and the cosntruction of Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone.
Meanwhile, the MoU signing was witnessed by President Bola Tinubu who had over the past weeks been in France on a working vacation.
Tinubu, in his address at the event, labelled the projects, which according to him will cost an initial investment of more than $7 billion in the Nigerian economy, a welcome development.
The president disclosed that the project will decongest the Lagos seaport when completed.
Commenting on the president’s remark, an X user, Kalu Aja, raised eyebrow over the proposed $7 billion investment on the project.
“To decongest ports in the South West, you are investing $7b to build a new port in the Southwest. Makes sense.” He wrote.
Recating to the comment, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarified that the project is a state government-funded project.
Onanuga held that the FG will not be allocating fund for the project as he urged Kalu to read Tinubu’s complete statement before concluding.
“The deep sea port is Ogun state government initiative, not the Federal Government. The FG is not spending a dime on it.
“Endeavour to read the statement in full before rushing to a biased conclusion.” The presidential aide wrote.
