By Francis Ugwu Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, says his administration in the second term will focus on providing basic amenitie...
By Francis Ugwu
Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, says his administration
in the second term will focus on providing basic amenities capable of having
direct impact on the people and improve their standard of living.
Abiodun dropped this hint at a meeting with the newly
elected members of the 10th House of Assembly under the platform of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) held at the Presidential lodge, Abeokuta.
According to the governor, his attention would be directed
towards the provision of electricity, potable water, housing and construction
of more roads.
“We are now going to focus on public utilities. Water supply
is going to get our utmost attention in our second term. Power supply will also
receive utmost attention as we have started the implementation with a pilot
programme in Abeokuta. Ado-Odo/Ota, Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu will begin to enjoy 24
hours uninterrupted power supply.
“We will continue with our infrastructural development
across the 20 Local government areas. We will ensure that the choice of
infrastructure in terms of roads, comes from or people so that we remain
inclusive and participatory in governance. We will continue with the
rehabilitation, renovation and reconstruction of schools, both in the primary,
junior and senior secondary schools and improve the quality of our education”,
he informed.
The health sector, the governor emphasized would receive
further boost with the renovation and provision of facilities, adding that the
government would improve on the standard of the Primary Health Centres in all
the 236 wards of the state.
He added his administration’s affordable housing programme
would also continue, disclosing that “we have contracted 1,700 houses already
and we are planning to make 4,000 in our second term”.
Abiodun maintained that his administration would give
special attention to the Special Agro-Processing Zone situated at the
state-owned Agro-Cargo Airport, while special attention would be given to the
Kajola Dry Port to ensure that goods destined for the state from any part of
the world are not routed to Apapa port, but Kajola, opining that it would
fast-track ease of doing business in the state.
Speaking on his administration’s plans for the youths, the
governor stated that special attention would be given to youth employment and
job creation, noting some stadia in the state were undergoing comprehensive
rehabilitation to provide a venue for the youth to discover their talents just
as the state is preparing for the National Sports Festival, to he hosted by the
state next year.
He, however, said that the meeting was to celebrate the
victory recorded in the last Governorship and House of Assembly elections by
the APC, saying that they all worked hard and God granted them success.
“The election was tough as it took our sweat and blood. We
started working from our primaries by ensuring that fairness and equity
prevailed. We delivered dividends of democracy knowing fully well that we are
holding this mandate in trust for the people. In the course of running this
government, we have been equitable, fair, just, accountable and inclusive by
inviting people from other parties into our fold.
“We worked very hard for the elections because we didn’t
want to take anything for granted by committing ourselves to the elections. I
have no doubt that I, as the governor, did my best. We dotted the I’s and
crossed the T’s, but the results showed that it was God and not man’s efforts
that saw us through.
“We should thank God because our opponents also wanted to be
in government. Our opponents also showed that they are stakeholders in the
state project. Let us see how to engage them and bring them closer. It should
not be we and them. They are Ogun State people who have the interest of this
state at heart. Let us do this so that we do not fuel unnecessary acrimony
among our people”, he stressed.
While urging the party faithful not to allow the election
experience to interfere with the administration of people’s oriented
programmes, the governor encouraged the new-elected House of Assembly members
not to be demoralized by the outcome of the election, but take it as a lesson.
“We will continue with the same vision of providing focused
and purposeful governance. We will push our frontiers as the industrial,
educational and religious capital of Nigeria. We are fast becoming the food
basket in the southwest, so we have a lot to be thankful. Please let us keep
our eyes on the ball”, Abiodun submitted.
Former deputy governor in the state, Segun Adesegun in his
remarks, acknowledged that the elections were highly and keenly contested,
thanking God for giving the party victory and called for adequate rewards for
those who worked hard for the party.
The deputy state chairman of the party, James Dina, who
spoke on behalf of the state chairman, Yemi Sanusi, appreciated the governor
for his moral and financial support given to the Assembly members- elect. He
also appreciated the party faithful for working tirelessly towards the victory
at the polls.
Some Assembly members-elect who spoke thanked the party for
providing the platform for them to realize their dreams, pledging to cooperate
with the executive arm of government to deliver more dividends of democracy to
the people in the next four years.
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