PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Monday inaugurated the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Imota Rice Mill, and Bestaf Lubricant at MRS Holdings Company Limited all located in Lagos State.
The projects are part of a series of facilities being commissioned by Buhari during a two-day visit to the state.
The Lekki Deep Sea Port which encompasses an investment in excess of $1.5 billion is a joint venture between the Federal Government through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Lagos State Government, the Tolarams Group (the owner of the Lagos Free Zone), and China Harbour Engineering Company.
According to a statement by Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President led Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; the Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo; the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Ciu Jianchun; top government officials; and traditional rulers, to witness the overloading from the container ship, sailing under the flag of Malta.
The Lagos governor, who addressed the President on the occasion, said the size of the vessels that will berth at the port would be four times the size of vessels that currently berth at Apapa and Tin Can Island Port.
“We are excited that in your own time, something fresh has been birthed in this country and it is going to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs,” he said.
In the same vein, the Imota Rice Mill inaugurated by the President was “conceptualised and completed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.”
The Bestaf Lubricant, a 200-million-litre lubricant plant, which covers the whole value chain of lubricants, is described as the first of its kind in West Africa.
On Tuesday, the President will inaugurate the “historic first Phase of the Blue Line of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit in Marina and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History at Onikan roundabout.”