Akure — To provide adequate security within the vicinity of the multi-billion dollar Olokola Free Trade Zone, located at a border town between Ondo and Ogun States, the Federal Government has approved relocation of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operational Base from Igbokoda, headquarter of Ilaje Local Government.

Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Agagu, said this yesterday, while playing host to Managing Director of one of the operators of Olokola Liquified Natural Gas (OKLNG), a component of the Free Trade Zone and Managing Director of the British Gas Nigeria, one of the operators of the OKLNG.

According to the governor, government was ready to combat the problems of insecurity frontally.

The Olokola initiative, conceived about three years ago by Agagu, is a tripartite venture involving the Federal Government and Ondo and Ogun states and is expected to be driven largely by the private sector.

The governor said apart from relocation of the naval base, heavy presence of the Nigerian Army, the Police and other security arms will be felt in the area as arrangements were on to relocate their formations.

Speaking to the duo of Sufi and Femi Bajomo, General Manager, Commercial Busi-ness Development of British Gas Nigeria, Agagu said problems of political volatility now the common feature of the core Niger Delta will not be allowed at the Olokola FTZ.

He said "Ondo is relatively safe, compared to the other states of the Delta," he said adding that a multi-faceted approach to the problems of insecurity and communal upheaval is already being explored.

One of this, according to him, is the involvement of the communities right from the outset, in the operational plans of the companies that had signified intention to set up shop in the area.

The governor disclosed that as a government that wishes to provide an enabling environment for social and economic growth, "we have held not less than 20 meetings at community level with all the stakeholders.

"We have also tried our best to bring infrastructural development to the people at the grassroots in these areas because we know that one of the things that always lead to confrontation is lack of adequate amenities"

The governor also said other areas of cooperation with the communities are the examination of how the residents can explore the potentials of the great investments coming to their areas for maximum benefits.