Praises as Abiodun Breaks Ground for 450 Hectares Industrial Park
James Sowole in Abeokuta
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, yesterday performed the groundbreaking of 450 hectares First Lee Group Industrial Park located near Sagamu Interchange on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The governor was joined at the ceremony by the Minister of State for Trade for Industry Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, Commissioner for Finance and Chied Economic Adviser to the Ogun State, Hon Dapo Okubadejo, traditional rulers, Ambassador Plenipotentiary of the Peoples Republic of China Yu Dunhai, community leaders and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the ceremony, Abiodun said the industrial park would create opportunities for small and medium-scale enterprises to support the operations of the factory and other factories, with its proposed manufacturing components ranging from personal and home care products to footwear, leather processing, food processing, bakery production, and recycling, demonstrating the breadth of opportunities the project presents.
According to the governor, the establishment of the Aspira flagship factory, the S.F.M. footwear, and all other products in the park, would promote the utilization of locally available raw materials.
Abiodun said he is particularly encouraged by the project’s emphasis on value addition, backward integration, and environmental sustainability, while the proposed integration of leather and footwear accessory production will strengthen local manufacturing linkages.
The governor said beyond the factories and physical infrastructure, the greatest value of the investment will ultimately be measured by its impact on the people.
He noted that the project’s blueprint projects the generation of up to 15,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities upon completion and operation, which is very significant for young people, skilled professionals, artisans, technicians, and the surrounding community.
He said the project is expected to prioritize local employment, deliberate skills development, technology transfer, and the nurturing of home-grown managerial and technical talents.
He noted that people must not merely live around the industrial development but must participate meaningfully in its opportunities and benefits, and assured the leadership of the Lee Group that the Ogun State government remains committed to providing the necessary institutional support and investor-friendly environment for the project to succeed.
Abiodun urged local entrepreneurs, small and medium-scale enterprises, suppliers, and service providers to position themselves to benefit from the extensive business opportunities the project will create, saying Ogun State remains steadfast in its determination to consolidate its position as a leading destination for industrial investment.
He noted that with his administration about six months away from exiting, the Lee Group’s industrial park is a significant vote of confidence and a strong affirmation of the confidence investors continue to repose in the state, as well as a testament to the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope economic transformation agenda.
In his remark, the Chairman, Lee Group of Companies, Sheau Fung Lee, said the groundbreaking of the group’s industrial park continues a commitment to Nigeria that began in 1962, when his grandfather established an enamelware factory in Port Harcourt.
He said the firm has grown from that modest beginning into a multi-sector conglomerate that now employs approximately 26,000 workers in Nigeria, with footwear production of around 2 million pairs a day, a tannery in Kano, packaging, bread, bottled water, laundry detergents and personal care products.
He said more than six decades and three generations of leadership, the group has shared in Nigeria’s good times and difficult years, noting that the journey has not been easy but they continue to believe in Nigeria’s future and to invest in its economy.
In his remark, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. John Enoh, commended the Abiodun for his vision and outstanding leadership, which have turned Ogun State into the industrial capital of Nigeria.
Enoh, who said investors is now trooping to Ogun State noted that if there was no good leadership and suitable environment, investors wouldn’t have come to invest in the state.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of
The minister recalled that a project of such nature had been stalled for several years, but it took Abiodun to get it to where it is today.
He also noted that the governor still embarked on laudable projects in spite of just a few months to the end of governor his administration.
He said, “I think that the judgment of history will be fair to this man. It will be fair to him. That’s what leadership is about. Leadership is not about the end of a tenure, not about the next election, it’s about the future generation. Let me thank you, sir. Let me thank you for your leadership.”
He thanked the Lee Group for believing in Nigeria and for the confidence reposed in the country, noting that the group has spent several years in the country and stayed on through tough moments when other companies left the shores of the country.
He appealed to royal fathers and community leaders, who he described as custodians of the project, to give it all the support it requires, stressing that they are ultimately the greatest beneficiaries.
He expressed hope that as the Lee Group and the industrial park grow in leaps and bounds, the fortunes and circumstances of the community will also grow in leaps and bounds.