The Senate has on Wednesday read for the first time a bill to establish Bitumen Training Institute in Ode Aye, Okitipupa local government area of Ondo State.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Nicholas Tofowomo, the Lawmaker representing Ondo South at the 9th Senate.

Starnews Nigeria reports that Ondo South has the largest bitumen deposit in Nigeria and the second largest in the world.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Senator Tofowomo said the government can’t continue to waste scarce foreign exchange earnings on imports most especially on bitumen which is lying fallow in the country.

“Ondo South has the largest bitumen deposit in Nigeria and the second largest in the whole world. There is a need to establish a very meaningful institute. A lot of debate has taken place on Bitumen by State and even the Federal Government with many promises since 1999 without any action till date.”

“I believe a Bitumen Institute will bring heads together. It is not a resources a state can package alone, except we are just deceiving ourselves. This institute will bring all the necessary parties together including experts from abroad and we will start exploring bitumen in Nigeria to add value to our economy.”

“We can’t be looking at crude oil all the time as a major source of income to Nigeria. We are constructing roads and we are doing all sorts of things with bitumen. We can’t continue to waste our scarce foreign exchange earnings on imports most especially on bitumen which is lying fallow in the country.”

“On April 2019, according to Media Reports, Nigeria imported over five million metric tonnes of bitumen even when we have it at our backyard.”

“Apart from the commercial benefits, the exploration of bitumen will also nip the issue of bad roads in the bud. This bill will bring all the necessary parties needed together for the exploration of the commodity in Nigeria.”

“It is a bill that will succeed,” the Senator said.