Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Governor of Ogun State and a current Senator has provided updates on two significant legislative initiatives: the South West Development Commission Bill and the establishment of an aviation college in Ogun State.
Daniel expressed satisfaction with the progress of both projects, highlighting their alignment with broader development goals for the region.
He outlined the strategic vision behind the proposed aviation college, linking it to the ongoing development of the airport project in Ogun State.
The idea for the aviation school gained momentum during his campaign, spurred by interactions with students from a technical college near Akaka.
“We are moving and we are quite satisfied. The aviation school that we conceptualized has been part of our master plan for the airport project and in the course of our campaign; we were waylaid by students of that school. It is a technical college. They waylaid and said look, OGD you are passing by here but in this place, there is nothing going on.
“As God will have it, the runway terminates around Akaka. We then said this is the aviation school that we’ve been thinking of, this is it. We tap into that because we also know that there are challenges with money and budgets. So in that location, there is already infrastructure. There are buildings, very few students, and underutilized facilities, and here we are, we now have an airport which by the special grace of God, the new governor appears to have gone very far with the completion. So pronto, we can’t have it better.”
Emphasizing the need to train people about aviation in all ramifications, the former governor elaborated on the broader vision of creating an “Aerotropolis,” a city designed around the airport that would include facilities for hangar construction, warehouses, and other aviation-related services.
“What we have done, many people did not know, the airport that we planned is not just an airport, it’s a big city. We call it Aerotropolis. An Aerotropolis is a city that contains facilities for everything – hangar construction, warehouses, all sorts of things – and all of that.
“But when we were conceptualizing it, we actually called it an agro-cargo airport and that’s what actually decided the location, that that location is equidistant to Lagos, Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, and Ibadan. We had planned that, from that location, people would bring their agricultural products there and it could be an export zone. So that was what we planned. So all of those things that have not happened, it’s just part of our master plan and God has just given us the grace”
He expressed optimism about the project’s legislative progress, noting that the bill had recently passed its second reading and was on track for a public hearing.
“By the grace of God, last two weeks it was gazetted. That is the second reading and we think that with that one, the next thing is now for it to be subject to a public hearing.
“That is one bill that there was no need for any serious take-off grant. Unlike some other bills, this is just a low-hanging fruit, and we’re happy that, by the grace of God, that will come true,” he said.
Turning to the South West Development Commission Bill, the lawmaker acknowledged its prior iterations and the renewed determination to see it through.
“The Southwest Development Commission Bill, of course, is not a new bill per se. It had been initiated in the past, but due to one thing or the other, it didn’t go beyond the second reading,” he explained.
However, this time around, there is a stronger consensus on the necessity of the commission.
Daniel highlighted the importance of the commission in fostering regional development, echoing calls for restructuring based on Nigeria’s six administrative zones.
“People from each of the zones with a common destiny, common economic boundaries, common electoral affinities, common industrial or commercial activities, should be able to come together and look at things that are important to them, to be able to develop those peculiar things that are common to them, and get the federal government to support it,” he articulated.
The creation of the South West Development Commission aligns with similar initiatives for other regions, promoting economic units that reflect Nigeria’s zonal structure.
Daniel expressed hope and determination that the bill would succeed, reflecting a broader trend of regional development efforts supported by federal recognition and resources.
