Enugu — Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, yesterday confirmed a large deposit of oil and gas in the state and said that efforts were on to develop exploit it.

Daniel, who spoke to newsmen yesterday in Enugu, said that though the state government had earlier planned not to make so much noise about the oil and gas deposits in the state, it can no longer continue to keep sealed lips on the discovery.

He disclosed that the state government had fully analysed the mineral resources in the state and can now confirm large deposits of oil and gas.

"What we did in the past is to analyse the mineral resources in the state and I can confirm to you that there is oil and gas deposit in the state", he said.

Daniel disclosed that already, there are three oil wells where exploration is currently taking place in the state.

"But I don't want to politicise it. I am hoping that in a question of months, Ogun State will be declared as one of the oil producing states in Nigeria", he said.

The governor also disclosed that the state is determined to build the deepest seaport in the country which according to him will be open to big time ocean liners in West Africa.

When developed, the port, he said, would be 18 meters deep as against the current 12.5 meters depth of most Nigerian seaports.

He said that part of his reasons for the visit to Hong Kong was to attract investors who would be interested in investing in the state and gave an indication that some foreign interests would partner with the state on the deep seaport project.

According to him, no nation can succeed without partnering with others on development adding that this was the reason for his recent visit to Hong Kong

All the countries, including Asian nations, he said, which hitherto were unproductive had since become productive, emphasising that Nigeria cannot work in isolation of the global economic trend.

The governor also disclosed that his administration had been able to create about 13,000 jobs while graduates who do not have employment are given N10,000 as monthly allowance as part of the social security system introduced in the state until they are gainfully employed.

He added that part of the moves by the government to tackle unemployment problem include the decision to train people to go into agriculture in the state, stressing that this had been embraced by the people of the state.

The governor also said that it was committed to the development of tourism in the state and disclosed that his administration had gone into sports development as part of tourism.