Lagos State Government will pay more attention to the development of Badagry in view of its status as an oil producing area, says the Commissioner for Energy Resources, Olalere Odusote.
Odusote gave the assurance during a stakeholders’ meeting with Lagos State Government, Badagry community leaders and operators of Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Company Ltd. operating in Badagry.
“Badagry is a very important town to us, it is indeed an oil producing area of Lagos and we intend to pay closer attention to the development of Badagry for the benefit Badagry indigenes,” he said.
According to Odusote, the state government has awarded more than five road projects and approved a befitting jetty as well as the purchase speedboat that will be operating there.
“Also, the uncompleted 200 housing units will be done, you can see that the commissioner for housing came around today to inspect the project,” the commissioner said.
He commended the people of Badagry and operators of Aje Oil Field for an engaging discussion.
According to the commissioner, they were honest about their requirements and we are also honest about what we want to do about it.
Abdul-Ahmed Mustapha, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy Resources, said that the meeting was the first of many interaction with the people of Badagry as an oil producing town.
“There is a framework for engagement of extractive industry with government, so we want to make sure that the established relationship that is already in place is better harmonized.
“So, one of the first things that this administration did when we came in was to engage with Yinka Folawiyo Group to underscore the importance of harmonious relationship between the people of Badagry, the operators and the LASG.
“We have agreed to set up programme and we will make sure that the programme is assiduously carried out so that at the end of the day, we will have smooth relationship because progress is a derivation of peace.
“Where there is peace, there is bound to be progress,” he said.