..says Deep Seaport, Modular Refinery, Cement factory to take off soon

Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, has disclosed that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s administration is laying a strong developmental foundation aimed at transforming the state from a civil service-dependent economy into a vibrant industrial hub in the Southwest.

Ajanaku made this known in Akure during a courtesy visit to his office by members of the Online Media Professioners of Nigeria, OMP, Ondo State Chapter.

He explained that the Aiyedatiwa administration is deliberately adopting a meticulous planning approach similar to what produced the Lagos State success story under former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to him, the Governor believes that the state must move from being a mere civil service state to an industrialized one, that is why he is taking time to plan carefully and execute projects that will change the economic narrative of the state.

According to him, some of the key projects expected to redefine Ondo’s economic structure include the establishment of the Ondo Deep Seaport, a modular refinery with a production capacity of 500,000 litres of petrol daily, and a large cement factory at Okeluse in Ose Local Government Area.

“By next year, the President will be in Ondo State for a two-day working visit to lay the foundation of the Ondo Port,” he announced.

Ajanaku added that the government is also paying attention to tourism development as part of its economic diversification drive.

He revealed that plans are in advanced stages to transform the scenic Araromi-Obu coastline into a major tourism destination in partnership with developers involved in Lagos’ Eko Atlantic project.

In Idanre, he said the government has awarded a contract to modernize the famous Idanre Hills, and soon, visitors won’t have to climb manually — elevators will be installed to make the site more accessible and attractive.

The commissioner described Ondo State as the most economically viable state in Yorubaland after Lagos, given its oil-producing status and membership in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

He noted that Aiyedatiwa’s calm, calculative, and visionary leadership is driving a quiet revolution that will yield visible results soon.

“People often say the government is slow, but I can assure you that the governor is only being strategic. His leadership style reminds me of Tinubu’s early years as Lagos governor — calm, deep, and focused on long-term transformation,” Ajanaku stated.

He hinted that the ongoing Shagari Bridge project in Akure would be completed soon and listed among the key projects to be commissioned during Ondo State’s 50th anniversary celebration in February 2026.

While assuring of the ministry’s readiness to partner with the online media community, Ajanaku also revealed that the ministry is developing a mobile app and website to track and combat fake news while promoting transparency in government communication.

“Like I said in different fora that the welfare of the journalists in Ondo state, the media practitioners, would be a priority to me.
“Journalism has also undergone a lot of change in recent years, and the best platform to disseminate information now is the online platform. So I can assure you that the ministry is ready to partner with you to ensure that our state is fully developed”.

Earlier, the Chairman of OMP,  Joseph Adesuyan emphasized the need for partnership between the information ministry and the association in tackling fake news, and projection of government’s activities.