Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun on Thursday said the sum of N13b is needed to fix deplorable portions of Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road.
Abiodun stated these in his address at the virtual citizens’ engagement (town hall meeting) on 2022 – 2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and 2022 Budget for Ogun West Senatorial District, held in Abeokuta.
The governor who described Sango-Ota road as strategic to both State and nation said, “The issue is about funding. About N13bn is needed to fix the failed portions of that road and the Federal Government is tinkering with SUKKUK bond.
“I have held several meetings with the Minister of Works where I proposed that, as a state, we will take a loan of N13bn of the Federal Government’s behalf and make the money available to its contractor.
“That is the ongoing discussion we are having and I am not sure whether there is any administration that can be more creative than that.
“I am particularly pained because some of the people who protested in the local government area were in a meeting with me earlier this week or last week where we shared with them the constraints we have as an administration.”
The governor declared that development of Ogun West senatorial district would continue to be of topmost importance to his administration, assuring the zone would continue to receive the deserved attention of his government.
Abiodun, who described Ogun West as the major outlet to other West African States and the Industrial Engine Room of the state, said his administration would remain irrevocably committed to making Ogun a truly investors’ first choice destination, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa.
He added his administration would never toy with development and welfare of the inhabitants of the senatorial district, which is home to Agbara Industrial Estate with over 400 national and multinational brands.
“The people of Ogun West are priceless jewels. We are also the Industrial Capital of Nigeria because Ogun West has the largest concentration of factories and industrial hubs in the country.
“This Senatorial District is the home of Agbara Industrial Estate, which is one of the largest Industrial Estates in the entire sub-Saharan Africa; this same Industrial Estate is home to over 400 national and multi-national brands.
“In fact, it is this same Agbara Industrial Estate that attracted the location of the Ogun Guandong Free Trade Zone at Igbesa which is also in Ogun West Senatorial District and that Free Trade Zone remains a viable commercial hub till tomorrow.
“It needs no gainsaying, therefore, that our Administration is irrevocably committed to making Ogun State a truly investors’ first choice destination, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa and consider the welfare of its inhabitants non-negotiable”, the governor stated.
The governor said that no fewer than 196 projects had been executed in Imeko Afon, Yewa North and Yewa South local government areas in Ogun West senatorial district, by his administration.
He further stated that his government has commissioned the Raypower and Ikola/Osi-Ota road to open up Ota and other towns along Alagbado/Ipaja border line for more investments and continued socio-economic development in the area.
He added that the reconstruction of the 19km Atan-Lusada-Agbara road had started, while the 10.25km Lusada-Igbesa road had also been commissioned.
“We are assiduously working on the Ilaro-Owode–Idiroko Road, which is a Federal Road, like we do on Epe-Ijebu-Ode Road in the East Senatorial District and Sagamu-Abeokuta Road in the Central Senatorial District. As we await the Federal Government’s approval on transfer of the reconstruction of Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta, we are daily on that road to fix the failed portions.
“It is noteworthy that Otunba Mike Adenuga has already committed to reconstruct the 64 kilometre Ota-Idiroko International Road through tax credit. Ditto for Alhaji Aliko Dangote who has been granted leave to reconstruct the 100 kilometre Ilaro- Papalanto-Sagamu Interchange Road, also through tax credit amongst roads that we hope to fix through Public Private Sector Partnership (PPP).
“We will continue to improve our PPP programme to identify necessary funding options for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of major roads in our dear State,” Abiodun pointed out.
While pleading for the patience, understanding and fortitude of the people, the governor said that the Ogun State Public Works Agency (OGPWA) has been empowered and mandated to continually do palliative works on bad roads so as to make them passable.
“We are turning the state to a massive construction sites with road projects across 18 of our 20 LG Areas. Needless to say that we are in all the 5 LGAs of Ogun West. In Yewa North Local Government, our men are working on Imasayi-Igan Okoto-Ayetoro Road; in Imeko Afon, we are reconstructing Oke Ola and Ago-Oshoffa Roads; in Ipokia, we are fixing the Oke Afa Road and Bridge at Agosasa; the Joju-Oju Ore Road in Sango-Ota road is on-going while we have decided on another approach to expedite the completion of the construction of Owode to Ilaro road.
“Hosting this Town Hall meeting, today and I believe, will further strengthen the partnership of our Administration with our good people of Ogun West and your contributions will accelerate development due to good representation of the people’s needs and desires in the year 2022 Budget of our dear State and beyond.
