Buhari inaugurates 5 projects in Ogun, lauds Abiodun

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, inaugurated five key projects in Ogun State and commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for being a “silent, effective achiever.”

Buhari, who was received at the Gateway City Gate, Sagamu Interchange by a delegation of the state government, governors from the South West states, senators, ministers, traditional rulers and top government functionaries, said Governor Abiodun has been able to deliver visionary and trail-blazing projects even in the midst of prevailing and challenging circumstances occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the Gateway City Gate; the 42-Kilometre Sagamu Interchange-Abeokuta Road; the 14km Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway and two Housing Estates for low, medium and high income earners at Kobape and Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta, respectively, could not have materialised without the state government’s huge investment and commitment to security of lives and property.

While assuring Nigerians that two major federal roads under construction, the Sagamu-Benin Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, would be commissioned before the end of 2022, the president expressed delight that the 14km Ijebu Ode-Mojoda-Epe Road has been reconstructed into a modern expressway by the state government.

“Impressive road will complement the Sagamu-Benin Expressway that the Federal Government is currently reconstructing; also due for commissioning this year,” he assured.

Describing Abiodun as the ‘‘performing governor of Nigeria’s Gateway State,” the president said he was a worthy example of promises made, promises kept.

‘‘This has made Ogun State one of the safest and most peaceful states in the country and investors’ destination of choice.

READ ALSO:

• 2023 president: APC, PDP weigh options on zoning
• NDLEA grills socialite, Obi Cubana, for alleged drug links
• Fake Army General arrested over N270 million fraud with six guns

‘‘You have justified the mandate of the people of Ogun State. You have represented our party very well. Your Excellency, well done! I am proud of what you have done for your state and your people. You have made our great party, the APC, proud too.

“Just across the road is the 42-kilometre Sagamu-Interchange-Abeokuta Road which the state government has reconstructed and equipped with street lights.

‘‘I am particularly impressed by the quality and standard of your road projects, and the creative way you have deployed resources to reconstruct and rehabilitate them.

‘‘It is significant to note that the two road projects being commissioned today are federal roads. This is an example of constructive engagement, cooperation and collaboration between the federal and states governments.

‘‘These roads also fit well into our rail transportation master plan that connects Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital to Kano, with Ogun State having more rail stations, along the Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor.”

The president, who noted that the housing programme of the state government was inclusive, also said the projects cut across different social strata, capturing the low, medium and high income earners.

He assured that Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta and the Sango Ota-Idiroko roads would receive the attention of the Federal Government.

President Buhari also announced that the Federal Government would consider extending tax credit as funding option for the reconstruction of the two roads, as done for the 100km Sagamu Interchange-Papalanto-Ilaro Road, submitting that he would consider the approval of the reconstruction of Sagamu-Ogijo Road by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited under the tax credit scheme.

He was later bestowed with the ‘honorary indigeneship’ and presented with the key of Gateway State by Governor Abiodun.

READ ALSO:

• Nigeria vs Sudan: Super Eagles set to clip Falcons’ wings
• Man stabbed to death by daughter’s lover
• NLNG suspends cooking gas export, channels 100% to domestic market
• Ebonyi will never be part of Biafra – Governor Umahi

Earlier, Governor Abiodun said ​all the projects and programmes his administration had undertaken were deliberate and guided by a vision to give Ogun a focused and qualitative governance and create an enabling environment for a Public Private Sector Partnership to thrive.

He said ​the choice of the five projects being commissioned was, however, symbolic of the various types of projects across all sectors of our state’s economy, spreading through the three senatorial districts.

Abiodun further informed the president that all state government projects have the inputs and are informed by the needs of the people as expressed by them at different engagement fora.

The governor, however, explained that the Gateway City Gate is an iconic monument that not only beautifies the environment, but a reflection of the new approach to governance in the state, adding “it symbolises the convergence, harmony, and unity among all the groups and sections of the state.

Sun News