Femi Ezekiel
In a democratic setting, a responsible and responsive government has the interest of its citizens at heart. It cares and makes provision of basic necessities of life for the common good of the people.
By and large, vision drives mission. The applicable deployment of resources retools the unlock potentials for meaningful development. Suffice to say that, the current administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun in Ogun State has lived up to expectation. It has exploited the advantages of the proximity of Ogun State to Lagos State for its maximal use. Therefore, the interplay of the pull and push factors make Ogun to stand out on a better chance to cash in on the opportunities that are abound. The two states share things in common.
There is no gain saying the fact, that the January 2020 foreign trip to the United Kingdom (UK) embarked upon by Governor Abiodun and his crack economic team, comprising Mr. Dapo Okubadejo (Commissioner for Finance and who also doubles as Chief Economic Adviser), Mrs Kikelomo Longe (Commissioner for Trade and Investment), Mr Gbenga Dairo (Commissioner for Transportation), amongst others, to woo potential foreign investors and seize the available enabling business environment already put in place, has begun to yield fruitful results.
The transportation sector has taken the lead as an opener to grow the local economy. Unlike the defunct Bureau of Transportation that was inherited, the upgrade into a full-fledged Ministry by the current administration underscores the premium placed on the sector by the current administration, especially replicating such at home through a well-articulated master plan for an efficient and effective transportation system to fast-track the socio-economic development of the state.
However, the fortunes of a ray of hope appear to be in the horizon, with an expression of interest by a United Kingdom-based development agency to invest in the transportation sector of Ogun State. A week ago, the UK development Agency, ‘Prosperity Fund’, has indicated its readiness to offer technical assistance in a bid to put in place an efficient and sustainable transportation system in the state.
True to type, head, ‘Prosperity Fund’ in Nigeria, Foreign and Commonwealth Development Agency, Mrs. Martha Bostock, during a visit to the office of the governor, Okemosan, Abeokuta, had assured that the fund would go a long way to help the state in capacity building in the transportation sector for its sustainability.
She said: “The Fund is about helping to build capacity within the state government’s departments, like the Ministry of Transportation and other relevant agencies about what a good transportation policy should look like.
“I will like to see the policy put in place, with necessary legislation. This policy would be used to advertise the state to attract more investments which I hope would help the state government and its continued transformation.”
Abiodun, while receiving the presentation of Urban Transport and Transport Intervention Plan Reports, expressed appreciation to the British Government for the continued collaboration with the state government and noted that, the realisation of the fact that no government, anywhere in the world, has the monopoly of funds and wherewithal to carry out all its programmes.
According to him, “In almost two years of our administration, the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) strategy has remained an important fulcrum to the continued implementation of our development agenda across all sectors of our economy.
“And, towards having a good coordination of the multimodal transportation initiative, we have adopted the assemblage of development partners, such as the United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office (UKFCDO); Professional Consultants, such as Future Cities Nigeria (FCN) and members of the Academia from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye; and with the collaboration of the Ministry of Transportation; at this instance, to prepare and present Urban Transport Policy and Transport Intervention Plan for the transport sector.
“Therefore, today’s presentation is another milestone achievement in our inclusive and participatory approach towards the development of the transport sector.
“Since our Administration came onboard in May 29, 2019, our development agenda, particularly in the transportation sector is to develop infrastructure among with regulatory framework.
“This offers valued services that will continue to serve the specific interest of people in that sector in Ogun state.
“On this note, we are embarking on a radical transformation of the transportation sector.
“As a matter of fact, our transportation development plan is multi-faceted. As a government, it is our belief that our commitment towards the provision of physical infrastructure by way of construction of new road and rehabilitation of the existing ones; building an Agro-Cargo Airport; construction of waterways; and construction of railways must be met with a good management structure towards ensuring that structures serve the purpose for which they are provided.
“In the area of rural-urban mobility and accessibility, we have continued to put structure in place to improve on the public transport operation and administration, both formal and informal, as well as on traffic management, motor vehicle administration, non-motorized transport and parking services. “These we have continued to do for effective service delivery and efficient management with positive results within the context of the Public-Private sector partnership.
“Our administration is committed to extend its frontiers to the development of a robust multimodal transportation system that will not only service local and regional demands effectively, but also help to improve our Ease of Doing Business strategy.
“Going by the quality of resources, both human and material, already involved in the process, we will come up with a more robust strategy to improve the transport sectors and all other sectors of our dear state’s economy.
“At this point, I commend the resourcefulness of UKFCDO to extend the scope of work from Abeokuta Transport Policy and Capacity Building to accommodation Outline Business Case for Bus Mass Transit (BRT) & Transit Oriented Development (TOD) along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.”
Abiodun, who described infrastructure as one of the pillars and enablers of economic development, said that transportation is an integral part that plays an important role in the movement of people, goods and services from one point to another.
It was gathered that the administration has continued to develop a viable road system to link neighbouring states. For instance, the administration has made it as a matter of policy to continue to embark on massive construction of roads, especially, along the border communities, not only to ease movement of people, goods and services in the areas, but particularly to attract investments and improve the status as the nation’s major industrial hub and investment destination of choice. Part of this strategy also is to continue to link all the industrial hubs and food basket for a wholesome development of the state’s economy.
Notwithstanding, the ongoing construction of an Agro-Cargo Airport at Ilishan is particularly conceptualised to provide air transport system for agro-logistic operations and industrialisation, not only in the state, but the entire South-west region in general.
Above all, the focus has been to bridge the wide socio-economic development gap between the ritual communities and urban centres and connect the people with the various opportunities that the provision of the physical infrastructure offers in the most efficient, safe and affordable manner.
While assuring that the report would be fully implemented as legal framework was in progress to give teeth to the initiative, added that a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that would soon commence operations between Mowe and Ibafo axis.
He added that the administration is still discussing with the officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to fully harness the state’s end of the railway lines for the development of the state.
He said: “I can assure you that we will fully implement the reports and we will not leave them in the shelves to gather dust. By next week, we will flag off the construction of the Agbars-Atan-Lusada road and this road will be completed in 14 months’ time. We are doing this, because that axis accommodates the biggest industries in the country.”
Meanwhile, Abiodun animated the occasion when he pointed out that the recent launch of the state’s digital broadband would assist in the implementation of the transport master plan. He thanked the committee for painstakingly carrying out the assignment which he said, would change the face of transportation in theatre and model to other states.
However, Dr. George Banjo, who was a representative of the Future Cities Nigeria (FCN), spoke on a theme: “Developing Policy for Improving Public Transportation Services in Abeokuta.”
According to him, it is projected that, in the next 15 years, Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, would witness an increase in population of about 2.5 million, hence the need to make provisions for a modern transportation system to drive its economy.
Banjo stressed that the transport sector would contribute significantly to the state’s internal Generated Revenue (IGR), while he called for the establishment of a State Transport Authority. He noted that the present public transport system is not good enough for the state capital.
Also, Prof Muse Solanke of the department of Transportation, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, called for the operations of the commercial motorcyclists, popularly called “Okada”, from major highways and dedicated lanes meant for trucks and heavy duty vehicles, as part of the safety measures.
He added that the state, that is endowed with over 16,369 square kilometres in land mass, well over five (5) million people and 6,620 primary and post-primary schools, and 1,408 healthcare facilities spread across the three senatorial districts, is ripe enough for a mass transport system which would, to a large extent, help in moving large number of people from one location to another.
Mr. Gbenga Dairo, Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, recalled the economic team’s visit to the United Kingdom (UK) sometime in January 2020, and noted that the tour afforded an ample opportunity to understudy how transportation system operates and thrives in the country, with a view to replicating such in a growing economy, like Ogun State.
The success of the presentation of the report, he said, was made possible following the development of a master plan towards an effective and efficient transportation system for the state.
Ezekiel wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital
