*Governor Achieves Peerless Feats With Bus Metro, Cargo Airport, Olokola Seaport
*Wifi Enabled Buses, Water Taxi Scheme, Good Roads, Offer Thrilling Glimpses of His Leadership
All tinseled paths lead to Dapo Abiodun’s “Gateway State.” On his watch, a journey through Ogun State manifests as a pilgrimage of sort. Whether sojourning by land, sea or air, the sights and seasons of “The Gateway State” emit the shine that diamonds give in a landscape of coarse, leaden stones. Ogun, on Abiodun’s watch, sparkles enchantingly.
Its glitter travels across neighbouring states even as its lustre illumines large, distant tracts beyond its borders. More shining feats have been recorded on Governor Abiodun’s watch since he assumed the governorship seat of the state.
That Abiodun distills splendour out of slog is an open secret. By his remarkable exploits, he has conquered both land and air. He has recorded monumental feats by his road infrastructure projects and his recent launch of the State’s Mass Bus Transit System manifests in furtherance of his dream to rework Ogun State as a poster icon of a fluid, functional, and effective transportation system.
The official unveiling of the transportation scheme further canonises excellence as his administration’s bliss attic. The scheme, driven to enhance intra and inter-city transportation in Ogun, has been widely applauded by citizens and non-citizens of the state.
Hence on Thursday, April 7, Governor Abiodun launched the buses fitted with Wifi and other gadgets to wide applause and in the presence of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Governor Abiodun enthused that its launch was in line with the state’s transport master plan, aimed at providing efficient and affordable means of transportation for the citizenry.
Speaking further at the event held at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, and Abiodun also disclosed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would soon be signed between the state and a private firm for the construction of the Olokola Seaport.
This comes in the wake of his commitment to the state’s Agro-Cargo Airport initiative. Without further ado, Governor Abiodun is moving ahead with his commitment to giving Ogun State a brand new Agro-Cargo Airport, come November. As already hinted, the project when completed would provide no fewer than 25,000 jobs for the people of the state.
“The impact of the Agro-Cargo Airport will have positive effects on hotels and warehouses being constructed in the area. Nigeria Customs and the Nigerian Airforce are coming there. We estimate that in the first 18 months, we will create a minimum of 25,000 jobs in that Airport. This is not a power point airport,” he said.
According to Governor Abiodun, the whole essence of the Ogun State transportation master plan is to ensure seamless and efficient movement of people either intra-state or inter-state.
He said, “We are the industrial capital of this country and neighbour to the biggest economy which is Lagos State. We see the cross-border migration every day and the trouble our people go through.
“Our transportation master plan has proffered suggestions and solutions for us to deal with this. Today, we are launching these mass transit buses. The pilot phase will start from Abeokuta and we will expand it to other cities.”
Abiodun disclosed that his administration is also developing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes in conjunction with the Lagos State government under the Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Cooperation, adding that the State buses would move people from Abeokuta through Mowe, Kara axis to Marina as well as from Ifo and Ado Odo-Ota axis to Lagos and vice versa.
“Very soon, we will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with a private sector player for the construction of the long-awaited Olokola Port. The Olokola Port will soon be a reality. We are also committed to having water transportation by having water taxes.
“This is why we have come up with a multi-modal Transportation Master Plan that we launch today. This transport policy takes into consideration the short, medium, and long term approaches to the development of our transport sector. This will include road, rail, water, and air transport plans for the State,” he explained.
He emphasised that the multimodal transportation master plan of his administration stems from the comprehensive and well-researched Urban Transport Policy and Strategic Transport Intervention Plan.
In his remarks, the Minister of Transportation, Amaechi, lauded the state government for operating a purposeful government, saying all the legacy projects carried out by the governor would continue to speak for him after leaving office
The Minister who reiterated the commitment of the government at the center to improving on transportation system across the country informed that the construction of the Lagos-Calabar rail line that would pass through Lekki Deep Seaport down to Epe township would soon commence.
He stressed that the government has continued to implement the rail line master plan project initiated by President Olusegun Obasanjo regime.
Former governor of the state and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aare Olusegun Osoba, who spoke on behalf of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, noted that Abeokuta has always been a commercial centre, adding that with the launch of the mass transit buses, the present administration has succeeded in restoring the past glory of the state in terms of transportation.
He declared that he would continue to support the Abiodun-led administration in its efforts at meeting the needs of the people.
In his remarks, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, appreciated the state government for providing a modern system of transportation, saying the scheme would go a long way in alleviating the transportation woes of the citizenry.
There is no gainsaying Ogun State is in great hands under the leadership of Governor Abiodun. An immeasurable glimmer of light and a blush of grace, conspicuously illumine the visage of the Ogun State governor, no doubt.
For Governor Abiodun, ambition, clearly, is the grand ally of all tact, the eternal exponent of his genius. From road infrastructure to vehicular transport, Abiodun burnishes Ogun State with irresistible shine.
Since he resumed at the State House as the executive governor of Ogun State, the native of Ijebu land in Ogun State has passionately committed his bulk and prodigious repute to a grand and noble intent to improve the fortunes of the state.
