The Ijebu Waterside Club (IWC) has urgently reached out to the federal government due to the complete breakdown of electricity supply in the Ogun waterside Local Government Area.
During a meeting with Gbenga Daniel, the senator representing Ijebu East Senatorial District, the IWC expressed their concerns. In a statement by its president, Ahmed Tijani, and secretary, Kehinde Lawal, the club highlighted that the lack of electricity has severely hindered social and economic activities in the region for the past seven years.
The club pointed out several abandoned government projects in the area, including OK LNG, the Deep Sea Port, Laogo Resort, Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute (GIPI) in Oni, the sole tertiary educational institution in the area, Iwopin Paper Mill, and a road project connecting Efire and Ayede-Ayila to Ondo state.
Additionally, the IWC mentioned that the Nigeria Electricity and Gas Improvement Project (NIGEP), a World Bank-backed initiative in collaboration with the federal government, has also been left unfinished. This electricity project remains stagnant due to the unavailability of funds to compensate affected stakeholders.
The IWC recalled their support for the establishment of a higher education institution in their Local Government and emphasized the importance of reviving the Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute (GIPI) for the region’s development.
They also shared the unfortunate history of the Iwopin Paper Mill, which was a Federal Government project initiated 43 years ago but faced operational challenges during the military era. Subsequent administrations failed to complete the project, and it was eventually sold at a meager price to Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Chairman of BETCO. Regrettably, instead of revitalizing the mill, BETCO dismantled it, selling off machinery and structures. Today, the Iwopin Paper Mill lies abandoned and overgrown with weeds.
In response, Senator Gbenga Daniel expressed his regret over the electricity crisis and pledged to collaborate with stakeholders at all government levels to bring the challenges faced by the Ijebu waterside area to the attention of relevant authorities for swift action. He commended the IWC for their patriotic efforts in advocating for the welfare of the people in the Ogun waterside region.
