Ogun completes process of 100 hectares of land allocated to Nigeria Navy for Naval base

The governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday said his administration has completed the formalities of allocating about 100 hectares of land at Ode-Omi in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state for the purpose of citing a Naval Base and Dockyard.
Abiodun said the state government has waived all fees and charges, which amounted to several billions, and has also forwarded the Certificate of Occupancy to the Naval headquarters.
The Governor disclosed this in his office when he received the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mike Oamen, in his Oke-Mosan Office, Abeokuta.
He said: “In view of the prospective activities that we are envisaging in our riverine areas, the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, gladly obliged us and accepted that it is important for us to have a naval base and a dockyard in Ogun State.
“We proceeded to make different positions available, and at that time, a committee was set up between members of the Nigerian Navy and the state government to identify locations that would be acceptable to the Nigerian Navy.
“Subsequently, a location was identified in Ogun Waterside, and we allocated a parcel of land, 100 hectares, for the purpose of setting up this facility”.
He noted that the access road to the Naval Base and Dockyard would be ready by the end of the week.
The Governor further disclosed that the state is looking forward to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Naval Base and Dockyard, adding that “It is important to have a Naval presence in the state to ensure that unscrupulous elements do not take advantage of all the economic benefits that are on the horizon.
“The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure is here, and he has briefed me that sometime by the end of this week, on or before, the access road to Ode-Omi, which is where the site for the Naval Base and Dockyard is located, will be ready, and the site itself will be prepared for groundbreaking.
“We did not make as much progress as we anticipated because of the rains; however, since the rain stopped, we have begun to work on the access to the place and also the site itself,” he said.
Abiodun, who noted that his administration has been very particular about deepening its relationship with the Nigerian Navy, added that the state is a coastal state because of the presence of Tongeji Island in Ipokia Local Government and Olokola Deep Sea Port in Ogun Waterside Local Government.
In his remarks, Rear Admiral Oamen commended Governor Abiodun for the support he has been providing to the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies in the state.
“The Naval Base is part of the Chief of Naval Staff’s plan, and very soon work will commence there. Be assured that the Navy will be fully on the ground in Ogun State,” he said.