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Tag: Ondo Diaspora

  • Ondo Diaspora Smart City to get Joint Museum Centre

    Ondo Diaspora Smart City to get Joint Museum Centre

    By Emmanuel Oladesu

    A joint tourist centre and a museum in the Southwest, is in the offing in Ondo State, courtesy of the Diaspora Smart City tagged “Green Economy Initiative Project”.

    The tourism hub for the Southwest Regional Development Centre for promoting cultural heritage and attracting the Diaspora Community and foreigners to reconnect with their roots.

    0ndo State Commissioner for Regional Integration and Diaspora Relations, Prince Boye 0logbese, spoke on the project when he presented a paper in lbadan, the 0yo State capital, during a meeting attended by focal representatives from the six Southwest states.       

    The states include 0ndo, 0gun, Ekiti, 0sun, Lagos and 0yo.         

    The 0ndo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, recently at the State Executive Council meeting approved the establishment of the Diaspora Smart City tagged “Green Economy Initiative”, to promote economic potentials and increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the entire Southwest, through tourism.

    He called for the building of a “mini Dubai” in Akure for the region to showcase her tourism potential and cultural heritage to the world and tackle issues related to climate change.

    “This is a diversification of the economy we are trying to introduce to the region; a complete ECOSYSTEM that will affect the region through the green economy initiative, because we don’t want to rely on FAAC as the only source of revenue to drive our government business activities in the region but put a legacy that will promote robust economic growth for our region.”

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    0logbese highlighted the advantages of floating joint tourism hubs, including raising the revenue generation of each state and opening up the states to the outside world, besides promoting entrepreneurship and creating employment opportunities for the youth across the region.

    He assured that the six states involved would be allocated plots of land to build their respective museum to showcase their tourism potential.              

    The commissioner commended the Director General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Dr Seye 0yeleye, for hosting the Focal Representatives meeting which will hitherto further promote the unity of South West region as well as follow the “Renewed Hope” agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and for creating the South West Development Commission that will work together with DAWN Commission to actualise the growth and development of the region.

    Ologbese lauded the effort of Ondo and Ekiti states’ governors- Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Abiodun Oyebanji respectively, saying “Ondo State and Ekiti State established a business integration, first of its kind since the creation of the two states, which the museum project can be tailored towards.”

    At the meeting, held in Cocoa House in Ibadan, were 0ndo State Commissioner for Regional Integration and Diaspora Relations, Prince Boye 0logbese; Ekiti State Commissioner for Regional Integration and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dr. Kareem; Special Adviser for the DAWN Commission, Lagos State, Sunmi 0desanya.

    He also appreciated Special Adviser, Regional Integration, 0sun State, Dr.Kamal Adekilekun; Senior Special Assistant, Special Duties and SDG 0gun State, Damilola 0tubanjo; Executive Director, Finance & Budget and Economic Planning, 0yo State, Alhaji Bello Kolawole, and the Director-General, DAWN Commission, Dr.Seye 0yeleye, among others.

  • Ondo Diaspora smart city project takes off

    Ondo Diaspora smart city project takes off

    Ondo state government has unfolded plans for the execution of Diaspora Smart City project. 

    Determined to enhance synergy between the Ministry of Regional Integration and Diaspora Relations and other Ministries driving the successful execution of the Ondo State Diaspora Smart City Project,  Commissioner Boye Ologbese has paid advocacy visits to two ministries in the state.

    The two ministries, whichb are development partners to the Ministry of Regional Integration and Diaspora Relations in the execution of the landmark project are the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Land and Housing.

    Speaking at the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Ologbese noted that the visit to the Ministry was crucial as it is in charge of Infrastructural development of the smart city.

    The Commissioner affirmed that the smart city project will change the narrative of Ondo State from a civil service state to a business driven state 

    According to him, complementing the Ondo Deep Sea Port Project with the Ondo Diaspora Smart City Project signals the complete diversification of the state’s economy.

    “This project is very strategic to our Ministry as it is domiciled in it.We are partnering with the seven Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that are driving its execution with us.

    “The bill is already at the Executive Council. I know with the support of the Special Adviser, the bill will see the light of the day at the Executive Council.

    “We will also use the project to increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state We are using our diaspora engagement activities to drive the execution of the project”, Ologbese said.

    He commended the Ondo State Governor, Honourable Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for initiating programmes that will ensure complete diversification of the

    state’s economy.

    Ologbese averred that with the integrity of the present administration in the state, the diaspora are willing to invest in the state.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Pastor Ayodele Babalola said that the people of Ondo State are lucky and fortunate at this time with the execution of the smart city project.

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    Babalola noted that the project will not only turn the entire state to an industrial hub but will ensure complete diversification of the state’s economy.

    He assured the Commissioner of his Ministry’s partnership and unflinching support towards the successful execution of the project.

    At the office of the Commissioner for Land and Housing, Akinwumi Sowore, Ologbese noted that the Ministry of Land and Housing is critical to the success of the smart city project as it is the landlord of lands in the state.

    The Commissioner noted that the project, when completed will open Ondo State to the global world.

    The Commissioner said the green economy would complement the blue economy in Ondo State which he noted would propel the state to the global map of international recognition when the diaspora city initiative is fully completed.

    Ologbese appreciated the efforts of the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission ( NIDCOM), Honourable Abike Dabiri Erewa investment drive initiative and her support for the project.

     Sowore commended the Commissioner, Management and Staff of the Ministry of Regional Integration and Diaspora Relations for their concerted efforts at promoting regional integration and diaspora engagements in the state.

    The Commissioner noted that the Ministry is the land bank for Ondo State and treasures the state’s lands adding however that the lands is meant for developmental purposes.

    He therefore assured Ologbese that his Ministry will provide adequate land for the smart city project irrespective of the size.