From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has said 2017 will witness massive rural road construction.
According to a statement issued by Amosun’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Adejuwon Soyinka, yesterday, the governor stated this as part of his 2017 New Year message.
Amosun pointed out that his administration would take advantage of the opportunities provided by the World Bank through the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) to ensure easy access to farm produce and mobility of rural dwellers to modern facilities such as tap water, electricity and qualitative health care delivery.
He said one of the goals of his administration in the New Year was to make further progress in its re-forestation project.
“We already have two sites at Aworo and Imeko. Apart from the fact that the projects will go a long way in improving the quality of our environment, it will also boost our forestry development plan and promote investment in the timber industry,” he said.
In the New Year, Amosun also said the state would take a serious step towards improving agriculture and agribusiness, noting “agriculture will not only ensure food security, but provide huge employment opportunities for our teeming youth. We are exploring an agro-politan development strategy, which emphasises the localisation of the entire value chain that agriculture provides – Grow-Process-Store–Package–Market-Sell.
“This will ensure that millions of our citizens will be engaged in the agricultural value chain and will be able to prosper wherever they are.”
Meanwhile, the governor has promised to commence work on the first phase of the state light rail project in the first quarter of the New Year.
The first phase of the proposed Ogun Light Rail Network, according to Amosun, is approximately 102.3km and consists of two lines: Abeokuta (Panseke) – Sagamu Interchange – Sagamu Town (49.8 km) and Ogere Town – Sagamu Interchange – Berger (52.5km).
In the same vein, the governor, disclosed that preparations have reached an advanced stage for the construction of an International Airport.
The airport when completed, Amosun remarked, will ease the movement of people, goods and services in and out of Ogun State, reiterating that his administration will leave no project uncompleted.
“Let me again re-assure you that the commencement of new projects will not in any way affect the completion of ongoing projects spread across the three senatorial districts,” he submitted.