BY OLORUNFERANMI ODOFIN
The age-long dream of prospecting world second largest bitumen deposit in Ondo State has begun into commercial quantity
Conducting newsmen round its processing yard in Irele, an official of the South-West Bitumen Limited, Mr Oluwatominiyi Adeiya said the needed equipment for excavation, scooping and processing had been procured for the commencement of the first local bitumen exploitation in Africa.
Mr Adeiya identified the type of Bitumen in the State as Tarsand variant which required specialised technology for its processing into asphalt
He assured that importation of the product into the country would be over as soon as the company’s processing plant attained its full capacity
Mr Adeiya added that the bitumen would be ready within the year for interested local offtakers across with over 500,000metric tonnes annually
Describing the project as a dream come true, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo said Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had again actualised one of his key promises of exploiting the state’s natural resources for the well-being of the people.

While assuring the company of the support of governor Akeredolu led administration at making the state conducive for genuine investors, Mr Ojogo and the Special Adviser to Governor on Development and Investment, Mr Boye Oyewumi pleaded with South-West Bitumen Limited to be good to its host community.