The South West Development Commission (SWDC) has secured a provisional license to establish a comprehensive regional passenger and freight rail system.
SWDC Managing Director, Dr. Charles Akinola, announced the major infrastructure milestone during a high-level strategic meeting held on Tuesday at 61-year-old iconic 25-storey Cocoa House in Ibadan, Oyo State.
To bring the project to fruition, the SWDC is partnering with O’dua Investment Company Ltd and the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission to build the interconnected network.
The announcement took place alongside key regional stakeholders, including Mr. Demola Badejo, Regional President of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in the Southwest; Mr. Yinusa Abdulraman, Group Managing Director of O’dua Investment; and Dr. Oluseye Oyeleye, Director-General of the DAWN Commission.
Akinola said: “We have secured provisional licence for rail for freight and passengers. We will work with O’dua and DAWN to connect the Southwest with rail.
“We are also planning energy security for the region. We are looking at constructing a road that will link Ore in Ondo State to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway for integrated transportation to open up the region.
“We are thinking of Southwest infrastructure development fund to complement federal government’s funding.”
According to him, SWDC is open to partnership to recreate what Awolowo, Jakande and others did as part of the vision for the future.
Akinola commended the present management of O’dua Investment Company Ltd for reinventing the company to deliver dividends in billions of naira to the owner states.
He also described the association of retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries as critical stakeholders in the task of developing the region.
On his part, Badejo noted the immense potential of the more recently established DAWN Commission and the South West Development Commission to contribute significantly to the development and advancement of the region.
He said the meeting was to explore opportunities for partnership and cooperation between the association and the institutions.
Badejo said: “We intend to use this visit to present copies of our association’s publication on the proposed plan for the economic development of the South-West to Odu’a Investments Company and the South West Development Commission as our modest contribution to the continuing conversation on the development of our region.
“We are particularly pleased that DAWN Commission partnered with us in the production of the publication. We recognise the strategic importance of the three institutions we are visiting today.
“Odu’a Investments Company Limited represents an important symbol of the collective economic interest and aspirations of the South-West States. We acknowledge the efforts being made to reposition the organisation, unlock the value of its assets and investments, and maximise their benefits for the people of our region.
“The DAWN Commission has, over the years, played a significant role in promoting regional integration, collaboration and coordinated development among the six South-West States. Its intellectual, policy and technical contributions to regional development have been invaluable.
“We also acknowledge the emergence and strategic mandate of the South West Development Commission, which provides a new and important platform for coordinated intervention, infrastructural development and other developmental initiatives across the region.”
Oyeleye, in his contribution, lauded the Yoruba forebears for what he called audacity of thinking — building the tallest building in Africa (Cocoa House) in honour of farmers, Liberty Stadium, O’dua company, first television station among others.
He said in their time they were not thinking of next cycle of elections but next generation.
“What our forebears did is audacity of thinking; they were not thinking of next election but the next generation and take the region to another level.
“The three organizations – O’dua, SWDC, and DAWN Commission – are the future of Southwest,” Oyeleye said, harping on politics of development rather than divisive politics.
He disclosed that DAWN has collaborated with Egbe Omo O’dua in the disapora to set up funds for start-up capital for business across the region, saying applications are being invited from interested people.
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