Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has dredged out the negatives about Lagos, Nigeria’s business capital and urged investors to abandon it and flee to his Ondo State.

In a rare sales pitch by a governor, Akeredolu wondered why investors are concentrating their investments in “traffic-ridden and human congested” Lagos State, and asked them to leave to come to his state, which “is blessed with abundant resources”.

He made the statement on Monday. The Lagos State government is yet to respond.

Akeredolu spoke in Akure, the Ondo state capital while welcoming the delegation of Federal Government Industrialization and Economic Diversification team led by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani to his office.

The Governor said Ondo state would be ready to partner with investors so that the State can become the hub of economic activities in Nigeria.

“According to the Nigerian Police Force and Department of Security Services (DSS), Ondo state is the 3rd most secured state in the country. Therefore, I want to urge investors in the country to come and explore untapped resources which are abundant here.

“We have them in their numbers here, let them come. The rain in here is not much while the harmattan is not harsh. Ondo has the second highest reserve of bitumen in the world. Ondo sustained the Western region before independence and during the First Republic because of the Cocoa from Ondo state.

 “The Federal government should also build a sea port in Ondo state. The Atlantic Ocean that passes through Ondo State is the deepest in West Africa. Also, from Araromi in Ilaje is about 45 minutes drive to Ibeju/Lekki in Lagos. So, investors should prefer Ondo state that is free without any traffic to Lagos that is over-congested and has no land,” Akeredolu said.

The governor further said that the state is well placed to connect other states across the country for economic and business activities because those coming from the eastern part, the north and other Niger/Delta States pass through the state while going to Lagos for business transactions.

Speaking on the purpose of the visit, Usani said the Federal government set up the initiative to focus mainly on Agriculture and Manufacturing sectors in order to explore the opportunities in states in the country.

He said moribund industries would be revived and that agriculture would be made attractive not only to farmers but the youths.

“We are here in view of the Presidential initiative that focuses on the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. The Federal Government wants to work in conjunction with states so that various moribund industries could be revived towards job creation and economic development.

The Minister said the agricultural sector will be prioritised in the sense that incentives will be provided to interest Nigerians with special consideration for the youths. He promised that something visible will be done for Ondo state before the end of the current financial year.`

He commended Akeredolu for his response to the scheme, stating that of all 10 states selected for the first phase, Ondo state was the first state to be visited because the state is the most forthcoming.

Partners in the Initiative include the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC), Ministry of Mines and Steels Development, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and Nigerian Export-Import Bank. Others are Bank of Industry, Ministry of Niger Delta affairs and the New Economic Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD).

Others on the delegation of the Federal Government were the representative of Minister of Mines and Steels Development, Mrs. Onyeku Okeke, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters, Mrs. Fola Oyeyinka, National Coordinator, Senior Investment Corporation, Dora Akugbulo.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/07/akeredolu-mocks-lagos-lures-investors-ondo/

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Thought this man had something to offer. Instead of talking crap he should know why Lagos attracts investor and strive to compete with them in terms of enabling atmospere.

This man wanted to be Governor at all cost but he had and continue to have zero plan for his State.

Also, he sounds uncultured when he talks. The remarks about Lagos, though largely true, are crude.

Bitumen oil extraction was not viable when oil was $100, so which company is going to invest given current and projected oil price.

He says federal govt should come and build a sea port. Don't see the point of another commercial port in Ondo given that Lagos ports are only 45mins away by sea. If Fed govt wants to build another port, Akwa Ibom is more deserving.

The man lacks ideas.

Got to love friendly competition. This reminds me of Former Governor Perry when he was advertising Texas to New Yorkers. If he's wants to up the ante he should advertise Ondo on Lagos Television and Radio. Then hit hard on social media.

If lagos is congested,the investors will think of ogun state and Oyo state before ondo state due to proximity to lagos.

It won't matter how skillful a PR drive Akeredolu mounts unless the fundamentals are there to draw investors in, but are they? What does Ondo offer that Lagos, Ogun and Oyo don't? Better power? Better broadband availability? Greater security? Cheaper access to highly-skilled staff? Greater ease of company registration? Less hassle getting land issues settled? Under Amosun, Ogun state has been steadily tackling many of these issues for several years now while Mimiko was doing very little, so I'm doubtful Akeredolu can have made up all of that lost ground, even before tackling the distance issues that give Ogun state an inherent advantage.

I actually support this initiative by Akeredolu, as I think stronger competition between all SW states to draw investment will be better for all of them in the long run, but the problem I see is that he hasn't laid the groundwork for this media drive to turn into meaningful investment growth. Business people with large sums on the line will do the necessary homework to see through any propaganda, and the net effect of not having the facts to backup the hype will only be to undermine Akeredolu's credibility.

In the longer term, I think the single biggest thing that will make the difference in drawing serious industrial investment to Ondo will be fast, reliable transport links with Ibadan and Lagos, in the form of both well-maintained interstate roads and high-frequency rail services. For this close co-operation will be required with other SW states, first to get these areas off the FG's exclusive list, and then to make concrete plans to realize the necessary links.

This one go just dey jabo anyhow

The title is misleading but I think akeredolu should focus on infrastructure that will lure investors into the state. Afterall it's for the benefit of SW

DeLaRue:
Bitumen oil extraction was not viable when oil was $100, so which company is going to invest given current and projected oil price. 

I don't think their main objective is oil per say. They want the bitumen to make asphalt for roads. This part of Minister Fayemi's import substitution plan since Nigeria imports over 600,000 tons of asphalt per annum. He does seem to have decent policy on strengthening Agricultural processing. More can be done as we know.

I do agree with other stuff you said with port though.

omohayek:
It won't matter how skillful a PR drive Akeredolu mounts unless the fundamentals are there to draw investors in, but are they? What does Ondo offer that Lagos, Ogun and Oyo don't? Better power? Better broadband availability? Greater security? Cheaper access to highly-skilled staff? Greater ease of company registration? Less hassle getting land issues settled? Under Amosun, Ogun state has been steadily tackling many of these issues for several years now while Mimiko was doing very little, so I'm doubtful Akeredolu can have made up all of that lost ground, even before tackling the distance issues that give Ogun state an inherent advantage.

I actually support this initiative by Akeredolu, as I think stronger competition between all SW states to draw investment will be better for all of them in the long run, but the problem I see is that he hasn't laid the groundwork for this media drive to turn into meaningful investment growth. Business people with large sums on the line will do the necessary homework to see through any propaganda, and the net effect of not having the facts to backup the hype will only be to undermine Akeredolu's credibility.

In the longer term, I think the single biggest thing that will make the difference in drawing serious industrial investment to Ondo will be fast, reliable transport links with Ibadan and Lagos, in the form of both well-maintained interstate roads and high-frequency rail services. For this close co-operation will be required with other SW states, first to get these areas off the FG's exclusive list, and then to make concrete plans to realize the necessary links.

Most sensible reply on NL

Jealousy

Akeredolu is a living proof that white hair doesn't always translate to wisdom.

He has the look of a lion but the brain of a grasshopper.