Abiodun: Ogun Now in Project Inauguration Season

* We’ll Set up Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, yesterday,  inaugurated the 2.4km Oke-Ola Road in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, declaring that his administration has moved from the era of groundbreaking to period of project commissioning across the state

Speaking at the event witnessed by top political functionaries, party stalwarts and traditional rulers, Abiodun noted that the road was strategic to the economic development of the Ogun West Senatorial District and the state in general.

He said: “We have gone beyond the era of groundbreaking, this commissioning is therefore a departure from the past as it is the first to be done in Yewaland in many years.

“The Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, always says all the previous administrations used to do was to come to Yewaland to do groundbreaking after groundbreaking, they never commissioned. And I said to Kabiyesi that by the grace of God, we are going to break that jinx and today is a historic day not just in the history of this state, but in Yewaland.

“This administration is three years and four months in the saddle, it has started that process of commissioning roads and we have started right here in Imeko-Afon LG.”

Abiodun said the road project was another symbolic demonstration of his administration’s approach to a strategic, methodical and systemic development of Ogun State, noting further that the road meant many things as it was a deliberate approach towards providing a smooth interconnection between the food baskets, industrial hubs and the neighbouring states.

“Ogun State remains the biggest producer of cassava in Nigeria, and one of the largest producers of maize in Nigeria. Imeko/Afon is one of the reasons we take that vantage position. This same Imeko/Afon is also the host of the Oodua Groups Investment Company Limited Cassava Cultivation and Processing Project at Imeko, and some farm settlements. Just a few metres from here is the farm settlement at Oha village,” he noted.

The governor, who described the town as agricultural hub of the state, posited that the Oke Ola road would also serves an inter-state road, which connect Oyo State through Malete town, and helps in improving security apparatus along the various border communities in the axis.

“We cannot forget that Imeko/Afon is also a window into the expansive corridor of West Africa, therefore, this road is multi-purpose. On one hand, it is a township road that adds to the aesthetics of Imeko town.

“On the macro economic plane, it is a boost to our agricultural and industrialisation agenda as it connects our farm settlements with the Oodua Groups facility. It is also an inter-state link and an international access road, therefore,  the road further stamps the vantage position of Ogun State as truly a Gateway State,” Abiodun said.

Meanwhile, the governor has  said that  his administration would soon set up a special committee on the rehabilitation of public schools in the state.

According to a statement issued in Abeokuta by the governor’s chief press secretary, Kunle Somorin, Abiodun made this known when he received the Ogun State chapter of the Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON) at the Exco Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

He explained that the special committee would look into the public schools that were not included in the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) programme.

The governor informed his visitors that his administration has paid the state counterpart fund SUBEB with the view to further intervene in the development of basic education in the state.

He further disclosed that the state government would be launching its Education Trust Fund for the purpose of the Special Committee, adding that funds from the trust fund would assist the special committee on rehabilitation of public schools.

“We have paid another counterpart fund to SUBEB so they can Intervene further, but beyond SUBEB, we realise they can’t do it alone, I have decided that I am going to set up a special committee on the rehabilitation of public schools.

“That special committee’s responsibility is basic education infrastructure, it will look at schools that SUBEB will not be handling and we have decided to launch our Education Trust Fund specifically for this purpose.

“The fund will be a sinking fund where we will creatively look for money we can put into the fund and it is that fund that will assist the special committee on rehabilitation of public schools to ensure that all the ones not covered by SUBEB is not left for another SUBEB year,” he said.

Abiodun, who also noted that his administration had decided to localise the production of school furniture in the state, added that the decision would not only empower more artisans, but would also ensure they can be held responsible for any shoddy job.

“I have requested that the provision of more furniture for our schools across board, but this time, I have decided to localise it’s production to avoid what happened in the past whereby we awarded a contract to someone somewhere, who then brought the furniture to a central position, from where the furniture would then be distributed across other parts of the state.

“We have now decided to change the model where our furniture is made from a central position, let us even use this to empower artisans in the immediate vicinity where we have this furniture deficit.

“So, let the artisans in Ogun Waterside be the ones to get the contract to provide the furniture for Ogun Waterside, artisans in Ijebu-Ode provide for Ijebu-Ode, so we can even make them responsible. If the items are substandard, we know who to hold. And we don’t now have pay for the cost of transportation too,” he said.

Abiodun also noted that his administration would make available affordable homes in the state for the head teachers of primary schools.