‘10,000 Houses Coming in Ogun’

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Ogun State Governor, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, has assured that his administration would provide an additional 10,000 affordable houses and complete all ongoing road projects, including the agro-cargo airport in the next four years.

Abiodun also promised to refurbish Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the 236 wards in the state.

He gave the assurance when he spoke at the Town Hall Meeting on the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2024 Budget for Remo Division, held at the Akarigbo Palace, Sagamu.

He also hinted at the construction of a Dry Port at Kajola and a Logistics Hub at Wasimi in collaboration with the private sector.

The governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said that though his administration has done well in touching all sectors of the economy, especially in the provision of infrastructure, security and the general well-being of the people, efforts would be made in the next four years to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people.

The governor said: “We will be fully implementing e-learning programmes in our public schools while continuing with the reconstruction of schools and the provision of furniture. Our government will be collaborating with Lagos State to leverage the blue and red rail lines by investing in their extensions to Ogun State for the efficient transportation of people, goods, and services.

“We believe these will not only increase our ranking in the ease of doing business index but will also create jobs for thousands of our youths and sustain the momentum we have achieved as the industrial capital of Nigeria.

“It may interest you to know that our administration will commence the implementation of some other initiatives, like the Light-Up Ogun Project, taking advantage of the constitutional amendment to provide uninterrupted power supply to our major cities by collaborating with the private sector.

“We have already launched our e-mobility and gas mobility projects, through which our mass transports systems will be powered by electricity and gas and achieve carbon credit as we join other advanced countries in going green.”

Abiodun said his administration would prioritise the provision and supply of potable water to cities and towns, while the State would join the league of oil-producing state as discussions on the exploration of oil prospects at Tongeji Island and Olokola, had been concluded.

The governor emphasised that policies and reforms to enhance efficiency and effectiveness have been introduced, maintaining that more efforts would be geared towards sustaining investment drive and maintaining the state’s position as the investor and industrial destination of choice.

“We will continue to develop our human capital through greater investment in quality healthcare service delivery, qualitative education, skill acquisition, and entrepreneurship,” he said.

He said that his administration has constructed and rehabilitated many roads in the Sagamu division, including Ilishan Market Road, Ilishan; Sagamu-Ikenne Road; Obafemi Awolowo Way; Mada-Takete Road; Orile Oko Road; Sagamu Junction-Iperu Roundabout Phase 1 (4 Lanes); Iperu Roundabout-Ode Road; Oba Erinwole Road (Phase I & II); Sagamu-Ode-Lemo Road, and the Ogun State Agro-Cargo Airport, among others.

The governor said the introduction of the online engagement platform during and after the Town Hall meetings was done specifically to bring the people closer and obtain their input towards the preparation of the MTEF and the Annual Appropriation Bill.

The process, the governor opined, was to engender a bottom-up approach, which provides a unique opportunity for the people to make meaningful contributions and provide input on their developmental needs and requirements.

The governor promised to adhere to the provisions of the State Fiscal Responsibility Law and demonstrate commitment to transparency and accountability in the utilisation of resources for the benefit of the people.

Abiodun said that his administration would not turn away from the pragmatic and strategic approach which is geared towards formulating policies and implementing developmental programmes across all the critical sectors of the state’s societal structure.

Abiodun revealed that to meet the obvious challenges currently being faced globally, his government will continue to deplore developmental policies that will stimulate and gradually activate the state’s economy to grow faster than it did in the pre-COVID-19 era, this he said will be done through realistic up-scaling investments in critical socio-economic sectors, infrastructure, sustainable debt management, as well as deepening structural reforms in governance, public service, and business regulations.

The Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan, in his remarks, said that 125 projects that cut across the ISEYA development pillars, have been executed in Remoland, adding that the meeting was not an annual ritual, but a platform to hear from the people and ensure that their inputs were included in the state budget.

He said that the budget was based on ISEYA pillars and the allocation of funds on projects that have direct effects on the people as well as even the distribution of resources across the divisions of the state.

Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, appreciated the governor for the infrastructural projects that have been cited in the division, even as he called for the construction of more roads and the provision of electricity to cities and towns in the axis.

Representatives of trade unions, religious bodies, student bodies, and associations, among others, called for the reconstruction of some of the deplorable roads, repair and construction of markets and renovation of schools in the division.