Gbenga Daniel Announces Revival of Ijebu East Bitumen Project, Cites Federal Backing Under Dele Alake
By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Ogun East Senator, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has announced the long-awaited revival of the Ijebu East Bitumen Project, describing it as a significant step towards unlocking the vast natural wealth of the area. The declaration came during the BATOGD Movement’s Midterm Community Assessment and Review (MIDCAR) tour in Ijebu East on Sunday, where the Senator turned a political gathering into a session of development accountability and strategic community engagement.
According to the Senator, the long-stalled project is now set for major activation following assurances from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, led by Dr. Dele Alake. Daniel described the ministry’s renewed interest as a “turning point” for the local economy, noting that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s broader Renewed Hope Agenda on industrial expansion and value-chain development.
A Vision Revived After Years of Delay
Speaking to a crowd of community leaders, youth representatives, and traditional rulers, Senator Daniel revisited his earlier vision as a former governor to transform Ijebu East into a new industrial hub built around bitumen mining and processing.
“I understand your frustration and share in your hope for a new dawn,” Daniel said empathetically. “This whole community should be thriving in wealth and prosperity. I started by sympathising with you because I know the potential that lies buried beneath your soil.”
He explained that since assuming office as Senator, his mission has been to leverage his political experience and relationships within the federal structure to bring the project back to life. “I am delighted to inform you that the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has assured that the bitumen wealth of Ijebu East will soon be put to productive use. I have every confidence in this assurance because Minister Dele Alake is a man of results,” he declared.
Linking Local Potential to National Economic Reform
Senator Daniel tied the Ijebu East bitumen revival to the broader mining sector reforms initiated by President Tinubu’s administration. He highlighted that Nigeria’s solid minerals revenue had jumped from ₦6 billion to ₦38 billion within a single fiscal year — an increase he described as “a record-breaking transformation” driven by effective policy execution.
According to Daniel, these gains are the result of strict federal measures that now grant mining licences only to investors committed to local processing and value addition, ensuring that communities hosting mineral deposits directly benefit from the industries that emerge.
“This is not just about digging minerals out of the ground,” he said. “It’s about creating jobs, developing industries, and ensuring that wealth stays within Nigeria. This is the practical demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Beyond Bitumen: Grassroots Impact and Community Development
While the bitumen revival was the highlight of the event, Daniel also used the opportunity to present what he called his “grassroots report card.”
Under his senatorial interventions, several development projects have been executed across Ogun East, including:
- Installation of solar-powered boreholes in rural communities like Igbaga;
- Interest-free microcredit schemes supporting local traders and small businesses;
- Skills acquisition and training programmes aimed at youth empowerment; and
- Comprehensive eye-care services, which have reached over 4,000 beneficiaries across the district.
These interventions, he noted, were implemented through the BATOGD Movement, which doubles as both a community development platform and a political mobilisation structure geared towards grassroots inclusion and civic accountability.
The MIDCAR Tour: Governance Meets Grassroots Engagement
The Midterm Community Assessment and Review (MIDCAR) tour is one of Senator Daniel’s flagship initiatives to evaluate the impact of governance at the local level. It involves direct interaction with communities to identify their needs while updating them on ongoing and upcoming projects.
According to him, the platform is not just about self-appraisal but also about fostering political inclusiveness ahead of the 2027 general elections. “The BATOGD Movement is a community-driven structure that supports President Tinubu’s leadership and reinforces the Renewed Hope vision across our rural communities,” Daniel explained.
By combining transparency, communication, and policy alignment, the Senator believes MIDCAR provides a model of political engagement that strengthens democracy from the bottom up.
Akahi News Insight: A Turning Point for Ijebu East and the Southwest Economy
From an Akahi News perspective, the revival of the Ijebu East Bitumen Project is a development of national economic significance, not just a local breakthrough. Bitumen — a key ingredient in road construction and industrial production — has long been one of Nigeria’s underexploited resources, with billions of naira lost annually to imports.
Experts have long argued that a fully functional bitumen industry in Ijebu East could reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign asphalt imports, create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and stimulate ancillary industries such as logistics, equipment fabrication, and local engineering services.
The renewed federal commitment under Minister Dele Alake, coupled with Senator Daniel’s political influence and strategic coordination, may finally bridge the gap between policy and implementation that has hindered progress for decades.
However, analysts caution that for the project to succeed, there must be transparent investor selection, strong environmental regulation, and equitable community participation to avoid the pitfalls seen in other extractive ventures.
If properly executed, the Ijebu East project could become a model for integrated resource development across Nigeria’s Southwest — a region poised to drive the nation’s next phase of industrial diversification.
A Promise of Prosperity Ahead
Senator Gbenga Daniel concluded his address with an optimistic pledge:
“Ijebu East will rise again. With federal support and our collective effort, we will turn these God-given blessings into lasting prosperity for this generation and generations yet unborn.”
For residents of Ijebu East, that vision may finally be within reach — as political will, federal partnership, and community expectation align around a shared dream of transformation.
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