Ogun State Government has reiterated its commitment to the rehabilitation and completion of the Journalists Estate’s road in Arepo, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state.
This is just as it assured residents of the Estate that the 2.35 kilometer road linking it to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, will not be abandoned but completed in record time.
The State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, stated this while on an inspection of the commencement of the rehabilitation work on the road.
Akinsanya maintained that the project which would be delivered on time for the use of the people, will have a covered drainage for the use of pedestrians as well as other road furniture.
“This project is not going to be abandoned; the contractor is fully funded. We are going to do everything humanly possible not to inconvenient a lot of people, but at the same time, we need to get the work done.
“This is a dualised road with a median and street lights. The water will be channeled to the proper location to be disposed into the canal. Also, along the way, their will be a lay-by for transporters, the drain is covered, it will serve as a walk-way, the face of this place will change very soon,” the Commissioner stated.
While calling on the residents of the Estate, especially journalists, to ensure they document the changes in the area, as well as ensure that they serve as the eyes of government on the project, Akinsanya assured the people that within the time frame allocated for the contract, the project will be completed and delivered.
“This place has lots of journalists residing in the area, cover and probably document the changes you have seen along the way, so, you should be the government’s eyes on this project.
“This is an affirmation that a promise made is a promise kept as far as Governor Dapo Abiodun is concerned, we want to assure our people that within the time frame allocated for the contract, it will be completed and delivered,” he stressed.
He assured residents of the Estate whose property had been marked for the right-of-way would be compensated, urging affected property owners to go to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and the Bureau of Lands with all the necessary documents and building approvals for the necessary compensation.
“In terms of the compensation, the Ministry of Physical Planning is responsible, they’ve come out and asked all the areas affected to bring supporting documents. They came with the Bureau of Lands for the enumeration of whatever will be impacted, so, the issue bordering on compensation will be taken care of by the Bureau of Lands and the Ministry of Physical Planning.
“As long as you have all your permits and other approvals, take the documents to them, it will be taken care of. Luckily, most of the areas affected are either fences or walls, it is when you get to the end of the project that we are probably looking at about two to three houses and we can still look at how to mitigate the big impact,” Akinsanya added.
On his part, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile said the project was a fulfillment of the promise of the Dapo Abiodun-led government, to make movement of goods, services and the people easy in the area.
He called on the residents of the area to support the state government in its quest to make life meaningful for the Ogun people, urging the Olu of Arepo Land, Oba Solomon Atanda Oyebi, to charge his subjects to pay their taxes into the coffers of the state, noting more taxes would generate into more development.
In her remarks, former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Lagos State and a resident of the Estate, Funke Fadugba, commended the state government for not only erecting a sign post to show commitment, but for backing it up with more action and fund for the success of the project.
The Olu of Arepo Land, while appreciating the governor for not failing to fulfil his promise to rehabilitate the road like the immediate past administration, assured that his people will continue to support programmes of the state government.
