As Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dr Adedapo Oluwaseun Abiodun came with the ‘Building the Future Together Agenda, three years down the line, His Excellency has neither deviated nor dithered from exploring every avenue to attract growth and progress to the State; while he has been hands-on and virtually omnipresent in all areas of the State’s life with laudable policies and visible projects dotting its landscape.
Noteworthy also is that silently, but steadfastly, Governor Abiodun is redefining the art of governance because what many of his predecessors and peers make a song and a dance of, and mount billboards and take advertorials in newspapers to celebrate as achievements, Governor Abiodun sees them as all in a day’s job
As Governor, he always kept to promises and the many projects he had both embarked are completed.
Some of the numerous achievements of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration in Ogun State within the last three years are briefly highlighted below.
*Education*;
Teacher Employment to Fill Vacancies: In March, 2021, the Ogun State Government commenced the Ogun State Teaching Experience Acquisition Channel (Ogun TEACh), a paying special intervention two-year scheme set up to fill the existing vacancies in the public primary and secondary schools as well as technical colleges in the State.
School construction: In what has been popular tagged the “Yellow Roof Revolution,” the Ogun State Government within the past two years has embarked on a massive overhaul of the face of education in the State. Structure erected in different schools across the State’s 20 LGAs include classrooms, hostels, toilets, offices, stores and equipped e-libraries/computer rooms. These structures are visible and verifiable in almost all public primary and secondary schools, even as the project is ongoing. At the same time, 570 schools have been rehabilitated (with reconstruction, reinforcement and reroofing) till date across Ogun State within the period under review. These schools include even the Emeritus Ogunlesi Model School in Sagamu, the construction of which was left half done by the last administration as at May 29, 2019.
Reward for Outstanding Performance: On 22nd April, 2021, Governor Abiodun gave special recognition to Ms Faith Odunsi and Mr Oladimeji Shotunde, amongst others. Odunsi had topped the Global Open Mathematics Competition, as Shotunde emerged Best Graduating Student of the Lagos State University, LASU. While the State Government launched an endowment fund seeded with 5million Naira for Ms Odunsi, it awarded Mr Shotunde a 2-bedroom bungalow and a 2million Naira cash prize, as 32 other teachers and students got various other prizes.
For his landmark achievements in the Education sector, the National Parents’ Teachers Association awarded Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, the best Governor on Education in Nigeria.
Tertiary institutions; The long-neglected Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta was like “a walking corpse”. But with Governor Abiodun’s a intervention, today, MAPOLY was brought back on her feet, with a good number of employed staff, matriculated students, robust IGR, and an overall working system”.
Similarly, The Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE) now Sikiru Adetona College of Education and Technology, Omu, Ijebu which was shut down for almost two years as a result of the crisis that engulfed the institution by the previous administration.
But graciously, in less than two months in office, Governor Abiodun set up a visitation panel to make reformatory recommendations on the situation of the school, and in November 2019 The Governor inaugurated a 12-member Governing Council chaired by Chief Yemi Adefulu, and good enough currently TASCE has returned to its old glory, having held its first combined convocation ceremony.
At the Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, the Governor has commissioned a 2, 000 capacity twin lecture theatre, remodelled the 1, 500 capacity multi-purpose hall; and refurbished and equipped its ICT centre, The Governor has offered automatic employment to the best graduating students in institutions like the OOU, Tai Solarin College of Education, and the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Tai Solarin University of Education, Gateway Polytechnic Saapade, Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic ijebu igbo,
*Roads and Infrastructure*
In Ogun Central, completed road projects include: Obantoko Road (Fajol-American Junction-Unity Estate-Gbonagun); Idi Aba-Oke Lantoro Road; and Ikoritameje-Adenrele/Olose Titun-Vespa Road. Other completed projects also includes: construction of the 42km Abeokuta-Sagamu Interchange; reconstruction of Panseke-Adigbe Road; as well as extension of the proposed gate Development at Sagamu Interchange.
Ogun East;
Completed road projects include the 14km ijebu Ode-Epe Expressway; Oba Erinwole Dual Carriageway, Ilisan market road, Molusi College road, Oru-Awa-ilaporu-ibadan road, fesugboye-ojofa street road, Asafa oke-asafa-Ayegun-ojofa Road, ongoing is the Ilisan-Ago iwoye road which links up 4 different LGs and neighboring states, it is about 80% completion,
Ogun West; The reconstruction of Raypower Road and Imasayi-Ayetoro Road is ongoing , Oke Ola Road in Imeko and Owode-Ilaro Road are currently being reconstructed, of particular importance is the 19.2km Agbara-Lusada-Atan Road which despite the industrial significance to the state economy was been neglected, it is undergoing reconstruction, the Governor had equally commissioned the 10.25km Lusada-Igbesa Road which was constructed by the Ogun Guandong Free Trade Zone in partnership with the Ogun State Government.
*Housing*: The Ogun State Government has completed the construction of the King’s Court Estate it is executing in Abeokuta, the State Capital, it has also completed the 150 low-cost housing units which was completed in the first year of the current administration.
The Government plans to extend its housing scheme to other areas such as Ota, Ilaro, Sagamu, Ikenne and Ijebu Ode, as it has also completed the affordable housing estate in Kobape which was commissioned by President buhari early this year.
*Water*: The Ogun State Government embarked on the rehabilitation of the Iberekodo Dam, Remarkable progress has been made, with five new gates installed as well as gear hoists, cofferdam demolished, and water flow restored. .
*Health*
Hospital Renovation: Renovation of State General Hospitals. These are in Idiroko, Ibiade and Odeda, while also renovating, the State General Hospitals in Iberekodo and Ijebu Ife. Renovation has also been carried out at the 120-bed Mother-and-Child Ward at the State General Hospital in Iperu.
24- Hour Ambulance Service; The Government launched its 24 hour ambulance service across the State, the Government of Ogun State equally approved the appointment of medical staff across cadres, including resident doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others, it is to address the existent shortfall in our public hospitals.
Tricycle Ambulances; Towards easing access to public health facilities especially in emergencies, the Ogun State Government distributed 34 tricycle Ambulances to rural PHCs to reduce maternal and infant mortality which may have increased due to the remote location of the areas.
*Conclusion*
Beyond physical projects, some of Governor Abiodun’s initiatives are centred on empowering the people and making life better for them. This was why he launched, in September 2019, the Oko-owo Dapo, an empowerment initiative to provide funds to women who are involved in legitimate SMEs across the state. The initiative also aims to enhance trade as well as micro, small, and medium scale enterprises. 2000 women benefitted in the first phase of the initiative as it is envisaged to reach at least 100,000 women in the first year of the Abiodun-administration. Beneficiaries include market women, politicians, and members of women’s societies, religious associations, or trade associations.
And to reduce the unemployment rate in the state, Governor Abiodun created the Ogun Job Portal, which aims to link the state’s unemployed youths with matching job opportunities in the labour market. Describing the job portal as one of the initiatives that would take the good people of Ogun State out of unemployment while also bettering the career chances of the employed, he said that the portal is particularly suited to preparing the people to fit into appropriate sectors while revitalizing all the sectors of the state’s economy.
Security is integral to the prosperity and growth of any state or nation and Governor Abiodun is very conscious of this which was why he promised at the outset of his administration that he would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the state maximized its potential to the fullest by creating an enabling environment for residents and prospective investors. Firstly, he inaugurated the Security Trust Fund committee to source funds for the acquisition and deployment of security equipment, personnel gears, and other resources necessary to prevent crime and preserve public peace in Ogun State.
The committee is also to promote the synergy of all security agencies in the state and mobilize support in cash or kind from public and private sources in a transparent and accountable manner. Secondly, the governor signed into law the State Security Trust Fund Bill. Thirdly, he procured 100 Patrol Vehicles and 200 Bikes to aid the activities of law enforcement agents in the state while reiterating his support for efforts and ideas that would make Ogun a crime-free State, The Governor also signed into law the creation of the Western Nigeria Security outfit, Operation Amotekun to increase the level of security in the state.
No doubt Gov Dapo Abiodun deserves a second term in office owing to his outstanding achievements in the last three (3) years, DA beyond 2023.
Signed:
Dapo Fashola
President Yewa Youth Pacesetters 4 DA2023
(Y.Y.P)
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