For the past twelve years, resident of Ogun most populous boundary area with Lagos,Ijoko,Agbado,Akute and Alagbole have suffered untold hardship and agony.
Agony of unfulfilled promises by political merchants masquerading as leaders.
Their agony is compounded by the demolition of their houses;unpaid claims;creation of man made craters and insecurity of lives and properties along the stretch of 32- kilometre road and series of uncountable adjoining roads that leads to various communities bursting to its seems.
While presenting a breakdown of this year’s budget of N703.03bn,Dapo Okubadejo,the Finance Commissioner said N415bn out of the capital expenditure would be realised from internally generated revenue,IGR, while a significant portion of same will be expended on providing infrastructure for the state.
Since a budget is only an expression of intent of the government based on availability of revenue and release of same,one would expect that the government would keep to the article of faith and judiciously keep its words.
In the past twelve years,the residents of the border area of the state like Ijoko-Agbado -Alagbole have only experienced demolition of houses-most of which owners never received compensation,while the area has the largest concentration of abandoned infrastructural projects like bridges which in itself has turned den of armed robbers and crime visited on the residents.
It is also an open fact that the state government as Okubadejo confirmed during 2023 budget breakdown that the state government have been collecting tax of nothing less than N500million monthly from Lagos state as statutory obligation for workers living in Ogun but working in Lagos.
Agbado bridge…abandoned
Had the government been spending a fraction of same on providing roads,health centers and equipping dilapidated schools,condition of living of residents would have fared better.The reverse is the case.
If Governor Abioduns must keep faith with charges made on him and other 35 state governors that they should provide governance for the people in their areas and not themselves,then he will halt the criminal abandonment which the axis has been subjected to since past two decades.
It will be recalled that in August 2022,barely six months to re- election last year,Governor Abiodun promised heaven and earth that the 32-kilometre road will be executed in five phases and will be completed last year.
Agbado bridge2
As we write,his promise never came to pass as the contractors- Cranebourg Construction Company abandoned the site few weeks to election.
Till date,the stretch of road has been abandoned while poverty and agony has spread further.
The only sign is the clearibg of a portion of space at Agbado near the Lagos Red Line station..obviously a joint Car park project between LAMATA and Ogun state.
Why is Ogun state content in reaping where it has not sown.?
If the roads in the area are not motorable,how will the hundreds of thousands living in and arround that corridor asses rail service as provided by the Red Line ?
Governor Abiodun also have to know that reducing the mass poverty in his state which he proudly announced as having the third highest Internally generated Revenue,IGR,in the country, is at variance with an increasing population of poor a d socially deprived people ,due largely to lack of infrastructures that makes life more meaningful.
Promises without practical steps to complete the project
Instead of dissipating his energies on esoteric projects like the ill -advised Agro Cargo Airport at Ilisan-meant ostensibly to serve the rich, development of various internal roads all over will definitely facilitate integration of the state.
Governor Abiodun has also occupied himself with the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway which clearly belongs to the Federal government instead of Focusing on repair of internal roads in the state which will impact more on the people.
It is our view that since the Federal Account Allocation,FAAC to Ogun state has increased from N3.01 to N5.01bn monthly..an increase of 66% far more than many other states in the country, since June last year,the state has no reason but to expand her Developmemt potentials correspondingly with more funds coming into its coffers,(see attached Table).
However,two months into the New year and with the wheather still friendly, we at Newdawnngr.com are surprised that there is no visible sign of any v on -going infrastructural project especially along the neglected corridor even as the rains are already here with us.
It is expected that with the harsh dry season,there is potential of corresponding volume of rainfall in the year.
What this means is that,with the commencement of rain early this week,the government already has an excuse not to embark in an action on the abandoned roads to the rains .
Another broken promise.
In spite of accolades by Corporate friends of the government,who came on courtesy calls, many parts of the state has not in any way feel presence of government in many aspects of life this past five Years of the present administration .
Since project delivery and Development is a continuum,we call on Governor Dapo Abiodun to wake up;roll up his sleeve and finish the abandoned Road projects in all parts of the state instead of dissipating his energy on Federal roads and Esoteric projects that has no impact on the citizens of the state.
A stuch in Time saves Nine
