Ondo economy crumbles under Mimiko – APC

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Ondo economy crumbles under Mimiko – APC
By; ODEYEMI SAMUEL, Akure.
The All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Ondo state at the weekend lamented the economic hardship being experienced by the people of the state asserting that the economy has crumbled under Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
APC called on the Olusegun Mimiko-led government to wake up from its slumber to prevent the state economy from total collapse.‎
In a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, the party noted that opportunities that should have positioned the state as an industrial giant and a regional economic champion in Nigeria capable of meeting its primary obligations had been frittered away. ‎‎
According to APC, notable among these opportunities were inherent in the Olokola Free Trade Zone project that had a liquefied natural gas and a Deep Seaport as crucial sub components.
The party lamented the alleged role of vested interest that led to the relocation of the refinery earlier planned for Ondo State by the Dangote group.
It said; “the recent damning revelations by Strive Masiyiwa, the founder of Econet Wireless of how selfish interest and underhand tactics killed many otherwise good businesses in Nigeria and how these vested interests undermined the overall interest of the masses is a case in point.
“Recently, we note the fanfare with which the Ondo State Government celebrated the arrival of Shoprite, the popular South African mall, into Akure. Although ostensibly a private business, we took particular note of how a state franchise, an iconic legacy in its own right, the Owena Motel, was sacrificed for the South African franchise to thrive.
“We also took note that even a road originally earmarked for construction by the late Olusegun Agagu administration but which was abandoned by the current administration is today being fixed in order to enable many more Ondo State people shop at the new mall.
“As a political party, we are happy that a standard mall of the status of Shoprite is now in Akure. We are however appalled by certain decisions which heralded its arrival. Couldn’t Shoprite be established in Akure without messing up existing legacies?
“The inspirations young leaders draw from such legacies as Owena Motel (Akure), Cocoa House (Ibadan) built by our forefathers could naturally not be quantified. Hence, we do not believe that the decision to demolish Owena Motel, whether wholly or partly, is in the interest of the people of Ondo State.
“We are of the strong view that Shoprite and the purported new 5-star hotel allegedly proposed by the government could have been located on a separate parcel of land. Such a decision would have enabled the people of Ondo State tap into the benefits of a Shoprite mall, the new 5-star hotel as well as the existing Owena motel.
“While it is good for the people of Ondo State have a world class opportunity to spend their money, it is however our considered opinion that it is better instead for the people to have world class opportunities to earn more.
“We can only imagine what the earning power of the average Ondo State native would be had the Dangote refinery been pursued with the same gusto and fanfare with which the Shoprite shopping mall was pursued.” The statement affirmed.

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