Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State on Friday opened up on the multi-billion Olokola Gas project, which his predecessor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has been accusing him of frustrating.
Amosun declared that lack of sincerity by his predecessor made the project to be stopped, assuring the people of the area of better and lasting dividends of democracy.
The governor stated this Friday in Abigi, Ogun Waterside local government, in continuation of his local government assessment tour of the State.
Amosun said he refrained from responding to the litany of allegations leveled against his administration by his predecessor, disclosed that selfishness on the part of Daniel was the main factor that delayed the project.
According to him, “I don’t want to talk about Olokola but now that you have asked in public, we must talk about it because some people are already deceiving the people and that is why I will explain a bit because there are moments when truth must be said.
“I am happy you said the project has been on for about 12 years ago and we have just spent three and half years. There is no way that what we have done within this period could have stalled Olokola and that is why I said some things are better not said. It was selfishness and greed that stalled Olokola since inception.
“When it started, the foreign investors took 51% shareholding structure because they own the resources, the remaining 49% was what caused the problem. Ten percent each was given to Ogun and Ondo States but the remaining 29 per cent was shared among themselves.
“When we came we asked questions and we told them we are sincere and not like them. We are not thieves, we want this thing for our people and we also asked what they are giving to the local communities. The remaining two companies also left,” Amosun revealed.
The governor however hinted that the Nigerian business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote had gone to buy back the foreign investors’ share while “still lobbying us for our own share to be given to his company”.
The governor said: “I insisted we are not selling but we are looking for ways of getting more from the 29 per cent.
“There is no sincerity of purpose that is why Olokola stalled but God is already doing it for us except if Nigeria will not develop.
“Olokola must be developed. Gas will come to Olokola because we have the deepest end of the sea and the gas will pass through Olokola before getting to Lagos and I will be the happiest man if those things are achieved during my tenure,” he said.
The governor also said that the state should thank God for throwing out the former governor and his cronies.
“If the cabal was still in power, the State will have been finished by now,” he said.
“Let’s be grateful to God. If these people were still there, we would have been finished in this State. These people have ravaged Ogun State. Everyday people write me to report that they were owed some money. An old man just sent a letter to me this morning that he constructed the Judicial Complex and is yet to be paid.
“They collected money from Dangote in 2007, we cannot trace the money in the coffers of the State. They stole the money. They said it was one million dollar, later they said it was ten million dollars and I know that the place can never be sold for such amount. When we asked for the value, it was said to cost billions of naira. How come one million dollar?
“I have the documents with me. We will publish the official document they left behind that they left one million dollar and people will ask them where they kept 9 million dollars,” Amosun threatened.
The governor however promised that the ongoing relocation of tank farm from Lagos State will be an advantage to the people of the area as those coming from the area will surely relocate to Ogun State.
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