By Femi Ogbonnikan
The newly commissioned six-kilometre Siun-Owode road by the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has once again reaffirmed the commitment to connect every part of Ogun State with a good network of road infrastructures.
The completion of the project amidst the daunting economic challenges in the country further attests to the seriousness the administration attached to the development of road connectivity as a catalyst for industrial transformation.
As it has been reiterated, time and again, one after the other, every part of Ogun State will have its fair share of infrastructure distribution assured by Prince Abiodun during his electioneering campaigns. He is a man of his word; he will not leave any community untouched in his developmental initiatives no matter the cost. Though the inflation is unprecedented, the administration has remained undaunted in the aggressive pursuit of its developmental agenda. Abiodun restated this commitment on Thursday, March 28, 2024 while commissioning Siun-Owode Road, in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, promising to provide more infrastructural development to boost the state’s economy. He said his government would continue with its infrastructural drive, especially road construction as a catalyst for economic growth and development.
Speaking at the event attended by the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman AbdulRasak, Governor Abiodun emphasized the importance of road construction in the overall development of the state.
He described the newly rehabilitated road as an alternative to the ever-busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, adding that it would also impact positively on the socio-economic development of communities along the road.
He maintained that the construction of the road was a testimony to the dedication to strategic and methodical development of infrastructure across the state to enhance the socio-economic landscape as enshrined in the “Building our Future Together” agenda of his administration.
“The road represents a vital link between communities to boost local economies and connect all those coming from Abeokuta to Siun, Owode up to Mowe. This local government is where people work in Lagos but reside and commune daily.
“The road is an alternative for people from Abeokuta to Lagos. It will significantly impact the socio-economic development of the state,” the governor noted.
He added that the road was the first to be commissioned this year. Apart from the Mowe-Ofada road (same in Obafemi-Owode LGA) that had been completed, he said his administration would soon commission more roads, including the Ilaro -Owode road (in Yewa South LGA) and the Gateway International Cargo Airport at Ilisan (in Ikenne LGA).
The core objective of the developmental strategy of the Abiodun administration is to ensure fairness in the distribution of infrastructural projects across the three senatorial districts and to also engender true ownership of the process option without compromising the standard. This is the first time the stakeholders in the various communities would be allowed to be part of the decision-making process on projects that directly affect their lives. The idea of involving community members in governance aligns with the “bottom-up” approach to governance which has now become a vogue in developed democracies. Therefore, the renewed emphasis on stakeholders’ participation in development projects is to ensure that communities are not just recipients of government projects but active participants in matters that concern their lives. Primarily, that is the motivation for the “Our Future Together” mantra of his administration.
Governor Abiodun, while pledging to sustain aggressive pursuit of infrastructure development, listed Obantoko, Gbonogun, Ikorita Meje-Aderinde-Olokotutu, Olomore-Sanni, Somorin- Kemta-Idi-Aba, Panseke-Adigbe as well as the Olusegun Osoba-Toyin- Agbado as some of the roads that have been attended to in Ogun Central Senatorial District.
He also explained the reason for the perceived delay in some road projects, blaming the development on the high price of construction materials. He said: “We have had a slowdown in construction due to the situation of things in the country in the last few months which has not allowed for objective pricing of construction materials.
“But for us, construction represents a lot. Besides the fact that road construction allows for the movement of goods, services, and people, the construction industry is the largest employer of labour. So, we will continue to prioritize construction.
“We have harvested priority roads in each local government area. We will begin our reconstruction all over again as a result of the price stability. Our contractors will go back to the sites. All the roads harvested during our last town hall meetings, you will begin to see construction on the roads.”
He called on the people to take ownership of the road and other infrastructure provided by the government by protecting them as they were commonwealth and tax payers’ monies were used in providing them.
The Kwara State Governor, who is also the Chairman, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasak, applauded Governor Abiodun for the infrastructural revolution going on in the state.
He commended the administration for judicious use of the commonwealth of the people, declaring that he was impressed with the level of development in Ogun State.
While interacting with journalists at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, he described the Agro-Cargo International Airport as a game changer in the country’s aviation sector.
When finally commissioned, he said, it would relieve the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos of both passenger and cargo transportation and also help to decongest the airport.
His words: “The Ilishan International Cargo Airport is also a game changer. It is my second or third time landing there. I must say it is more of an economic airport. It will change the way things will be done in the future.
“It will relieve Lagos airport of cargo and with industrial park going on in the state. Two major industrial parks are going on in the state. One is being funded by African Development Bank (AfDB) and the other by AFREXIM Bank.”
Governor AbdulRazaq particularly commended Prince Abiodun for the quality of work done in all the projects visited, describing the newly commissioned six-kilometre Siun-Owode Road in Obafemi-Owode LGA as unprecedented, especially at this time of global inflation. He assured that the state would benefit from new investments that would come from the investment drive of Governor Abiodun.
“I commissioned the 6km Siun-Owode road this morning. It is unprecedented and with the rate of inflation these days. It is a huge challenge to commission or build one kilometre, talk less of six kilometres.
“Infrastructure work going on in this state is quite impressive. The quality of the road today is quite impressive, and the drainage is first-class. That road will last at least twenty years.
“In terms of investment, Ogun State will be recovering a major part of new investments, green field investments in Nigeria today. Kudos to Governor Dapo Abiodun for the work he is doing,” he said.
The Governor’s Forum Chairman also used the occasion to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the launch of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund to bridge the gap in infrastructure deficit.
While lamenting the current global economic challenge, he also gave the Federal Government a pat on the back for the delivery of grains to the people of the country to tackle the hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
“Economic challenges are worldwide. It is not a Nigerian phenomenon alone. Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, and even the United States are facing the same thing. It is a global phenomenon.
“The President has set the pace and as you noticed today, the Federal Government is delivering grains across all the states in Nigeria, and all the states are doing their best in supplying palliatives,” he said.
Mallam AbdulRazaq, however, added that it was important to also focus on human capital development as well as maintenance of high standards in hospitals and schools in the country.
“But, while we are doing all that palliatives daily, we must put our eyes on the ball. We must make sure we focus on human capital development and maintain the standard in our hospitals and schools. Fix school infrastructure, fix education infrastructure, not divert all attention to palliatives, while leaving the job undone.
“We have great challenges in infrastructure. That is why you see that the President has launched the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund basically to mitigate this challenge. We cannot compete globally without having solid infrastructure in place,” he added.
On a parting note, he called on his colleagues from other parts of the country to take a cue from Ogun State by providing the people with the needed infrastructure to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District in the Senate, Shuaib Afolabi Salis, while recalling that the newly commissioned road had been penciled down for reconstruction since 2022, expressed appreciation to Governor Abiodun for making good his words to complete the project. He called on the people to make good use of the road as it belongs to them.
Similarly, the Ogun State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Yemi Sanusi, described the road as historic to the Egba people stressing the significance of its interconnectivity to various communities as well as its importance to the commercial activities along the axis.
In his commendation, the Chairman, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, Hon. Adesina Ogunsola, appreciated the state government for reconstructing the road and for providing a 7.5 KVA transformer to Owode to restore power to the town.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, noted that the road had been in bad shape for many years and commended the quality of work done during the reconstruction, especially the standard drainage system which, according to him, conformed to the federal government’s specification for highways.
The event was attended by prominent dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, former deputy governors, members of the National and State Assemblies, traditional rulers, party stalwarts, among others.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Executive Council, presided over by the Governor has approved seven other major priority projects for execution. According to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Hon, Kayode Akinmade, these include the reconstruction of the 5.5km Ode Remo Junction to Sapade (phase 3), the rehabilitation of Ayepe Junction to Mayflower in Ikenne Local Government and the reconstruction of Adesan Street, off Mowe-Ofada road in Obafemi Owode Local Government.
Others are the structural adjustment for the 19.2km Atan-Lusada-Agbara road in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government and the construction of Hospital Road, Ogijo, in Sagamu and the Abule Egba-Ota/Sango-Abeokuta Expressway. He disclosed that arrangements were being made to purchase some equipment at the Gateway Agro-Cargo International Airport to allow 24-hour flight operations and facilitate quick take-off of the Airport.
Already, approval has been given for palliative work to be carried out at the Iyana Ilogbo bus stop along the Abule Egba-Ota/Sango-Abeokuta Expressway (ongoing now) following the recent rainfall that led to flooding in the area.
For the promise kept, therefore, concerned stakeholders have continued to pour encomiums on Governor Abiodun for leading the Ogun State’s aggressive infrastructure revolution.
Ogbonnikan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital
