Abiodun’s renewed focus on rural roads reconstruction

There is a positive commentary on Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration policy in Ogun State, highlighting the emphasis on rural community development and food security.

It is worth nothing that the government has prioritised the growth of rural areas, particularly through infrastructure development and farming initiatives, which is a departure from the neglect experienced under previous administrations.

The focus on food security and grassroots development aligns with Abiodun’s stated goals, as outlined in his “Building Our Future Together” mantra,” which aims to improve the lives of Ogun State citizens through various development pillars, including infrastructure, social welfare, education, youth empowerment, and agriculture.

Knowing the importance of food security to the overall well-being of the citizenry, right from the outset, the government has included the opening up of suburban areas as an integral part of its road infrastructure revolution for sustainable economic growth.

Before now, most of these communities had suffered neglect because of the inability of the past governments to strike a balance between the urban renewal programme and grassroots development.

As experience has shown, lack of access roads hinders food produce by making it difficult and expensive to transport agricultural goods to markets.

More often than not, it leads to post-harvest losses, reduced farmer income, limited access to necessary inputs like fertilizers, and ultimately discouraging farmers from producing enough quantity of food for the urban populace.

This has contributed to the current food scarcity and the rising inflation rate that precipitated the widespread protests in some parts of the country in the recent past.

Therefore, the Abiodun administration’s initiative on rural road infrastructure is to harness the potential of the benefiting communities in food production.

With the renewed commitment, relief is now underway for areas that had suffered neglect under successive administrations.

Governor Abiodun gave this assurance, penultimate Tuesday, while commissioning the 3.12km Oke-Erinja-Ilobi road in Yewa South Local Government Area of the state, promising to award Sango-Ijoko-Akute road this week.

He also disclosed that the plan had been concluded to complete the Erinja road to Ilobi. According to him, the project marks another significant milestone in the effort of the state government, describing the road as a pathway to progress and economic growth that would enhance the quality of life of the Erinja and Ilobi communities.

Stressing the importance of balanced development, he said: “We have underscored our commitment as a government not just to urban renewal, not just focusing on reconstructing urban roads alone.

“It is very easy to construct urban roads, but it takes a far-sighted administration to conceive the construction of rural roads.

“It takes a far-sighted administration to appreciate the fact that the food supply chain starts from the rural areas. Our rural communities are our food basket; that is where we have our farmlands.

“Ogun State is about 17,000 square kilometers, out of which 12,000 square kilometers of land is arable, and our people are farmers.

“How do we unlock their potentials? How do we ensure that we achieve food security if we don’t ensure that we construct these roads that connect our farmers from the rural areas to the market? And that is exactly what we have done.

“The Ilobi and Oke-Erinja areas are among our food baskets in the state, and today we have prioritized the construction of their roads.

“It was not intentional to stop the road at Oke-Erinja. I have heard many times that the Erinja and Ilobi people are like Siamese twins, and I will not separate them.

“So, let me assure you, we will complete that road to Ilobi; we will ensure the road ends at Ilobi.”

Another promise kept. As already indicated, the importance of good road network connectivity cannot be over-emphasized.

When roads are in poor condition, the cost of transporting produce to market increases significantly, eating into farmers’ profits and making it less viable to sell large quantities.

Besides, long travel times on bad roads also lead to produce spoiling before reaching the market, resulting in significant food waste.

Farmers with poor road access are often restricted to selling their produce only in nearby, smaller markets, limiting their potential customer base and income. Difficulty in transporting agricultural inputs like fertilizers and seeds to remote areas equally hinders crop yields. With all of these combined, farmers may be less likely to invest in new technologies or expand their operations if they cannot reliably transport their produce to market.

Overall, improving rural road infrastructure is crucial for enhancing food produce by enabling farmers to efficiently transport their goods to market, maximizing their profits, and encouraging greater agricultural investment in rural areas.

Since the inception of the present administration in 2019, no less than 1000km of roads have been constructed across the three senatorial districts in the state.

In furtherance of the ongoing road infrastructure revolution, the Governor disclosed that plan had been concluded to award the construction of the Sango-Ijoko-Akute road during the week.

He stated that the efforts of his administration on the Akute-Ajuwon, Alagbole-Ajuwon, Giwa-Oke-Aro, and Alagbole-Akute roads wouldn’t be appreciated without completing the Sango-Ijoko-Akute road.

“We have not left behind our border communities. In the last two weeks, we have been going to Ifo Local Government several times because of the number of people that migrate between that local government and Lagos every day.

“The Sango-Ijoko-Akute road is a road we are soon going to award, possibly this week. It is quite a lengthy piece of road; that road is about 17 kilometers. It is a major arterial road that connects Ogun West to Ogun Central and, of course, to Lagos,” he said.

He explained that efforts were being made to hasten the progress of the ongoing work on Agbara-Atan-Lusada road, promising to inspect the Inter-Change-Papalanto-Obele road along with Alhaji Aliko Dangote to hasten the completion of the road, which, according to him, was being constructed with tax credit.

“At the moment, we are reconstructing the Ota-Ifo-Abeokuta road, which will also be of immense benefit to Ogun West.

“The Inter-Change-Papalanto-Obele road is also under construction; it is a great arterial road that serves as the West-East connector of our state.

“Very soon, I am going to inspect that road with Alhaji Dangote. I have invited him to come and see how well or how not so well the road is progressing.

“We have completed one side of the Agbara-Atan-Lusada road; that was a road nobody believed we would reconstruct.

“Today, one section of that road has been completed from beginning to the end, so we can travel from Agbara to Atan-Lusada without the usual tears.

“We’ve now moved to the other side, and by the grace of God, we will complete that other section. That is a major road in Ogun West,” he said.

Governor Abiodun thanked the Olu of Ilaro and Chairman of the Ogun State Council of Obas, other monarchs, community leaders, and the people of the community for their collaboration and cooperation towards the completion of the road, saying that his administration would continue to make promises and fulfill them.

In his remarks, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, noted that the road, after its completion, would aid the development of the community and the state as a whole, adding that the road would also provide access to the Nigeria Police Training College at Erinja, home town of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. Kayode Egbetokun.

Akinsanya, who noted the deplorable condition of the road before its reconstruction, said its reconstruction would bring succour to the people.

The Olu of Ilaro and the Paramount Ruler of Yewaland who is also the Chairman of the Ogun State Council of Obas, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, commended Governor Abiodun for bringing development to Ogun West, adding that the Governor had done exceedingly well.

“Your coming to the saddle of leadership of the state in 2019 was by divine.

“If there is anybody in this Yewaland that wake up in the morning that thank God for all you have been doing, I think, I should be the first person.

“Since you came onboard, you have brought goodness; you have taken away our reproach; and you have taken away our shame, because, irrespective of what you heard or read on social media, that’s their opinion.

“The opinion of the good people of Yewaland and Ogun West, at large, is that you have done excellently well.

“You can’t wish history away. I have been on the throne in the past 12 years. And if you remove six years you assumed office as Governor that means I have been around for well over six years.

“So, as a student of history or research, I can say that you have significantly towered above your predecessors. As far as Yewaland and Ogun West are concerned, we appreciate you. You are our ‘akorede (goodluck) of our time.

“All those your children or brothers that are working with you and those that are in Abuja, if there’s anybody that’s praying to God that your tenure should bring goodness, I think I don’t know the kind of luck you have. You have done so much.

“When I will be writing my second book, I will invite you. I will beckon you to read it, so that children yet-unborn can learn from history that one Dapo Abiodun constructed a particular road. Like we used to say, this is Awolowo road. That’s Osoba road. So, before you go, we would say this is Dapo Abiodun road too.

“Your Excellency, you have done excellently well”, the monarch enthused.

He, however, urged the Governor to extend the construction of the road from Erinja to Ilobi, saying that the extension would further take development to other parts of the town.

The story doesn’t end there. In keeping to the inclusive policy of his administration, Governor Abiodun has also approved 11 additional roads for reconstruction across the three senatorial districts in the state. The approval followed the State Executive Council meeting held over the weekend.

These include, among others, the Akute Bridge to Agbado (Lateef Jakande) Train Terminal/Pass/Agbado Bridge, with a length of 9.2 km, Iperu Junction to Ilishan Roundabout (Gateway International Airport Road), with a length of 5.5 km; Imasayi-Igan Okoto-Ayetoro Road Phase 2B (4 km); Imasayi (end of phase 1) to Igan Okoto, Phase 2A (3 km); and Gao Junction to Ibiade Road (3.8 km).

Others are Abeokuta Obalende-Ijebu Ode (2.75 km); Osinubi New Road (Araromi Street) Ijebu Ode (1.1 km); Tam Balogun, Ijebu Ode (0.85 km); Federal College Road, Odogbolu (2.93 km); General Hospital – Aferiku, Ipokia (2.8 km); and Oke Erinja to Erinja to Ilobi Road, Phase 2 (1.7 km).

Additionally, Prince Abiodun also promised to award the contract for the reconstruction of the Sango-Ijoko-Akute road within one week.

This is to ensure that the axis is properly linked with a good network of roads. The Governor explained that the efforts put in place by his administration on the Akute-Ajuwon, Alagbole-Ajuwon, Giwa-Oke-Aro, and the Alagbole-Akute roads won’t be appreciated without completing the Sango-Ijoko-Akute road.

“We have not left behind our border communities. In the last two weeks, we have been going to Ifo Local Government several times because of the number of people that migrate between that local government and Lagos every day.

“The Sango-Ijoko-Akute road is a road we are soon going to award, possibly this week. It is quite a lengthy piece of road; that road is about 17 kilometers. It is a major arterial road that connects Ogun West to Ogun Central and, of course, to Lagos,” he added.

As a promising keeping administration, benefiting communities can be rest assured that the project will be completed as scheduled.

Ogbonnikan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital