Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, says his administration in the second term will focus on providing basic amenities capable of having direct impact on the people and improve their standard of living.
Abiodun dropped this hint at a meeting with the newly elected members of the 10th House of Assembly under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held at the Presidential lodge, Abeokuta.
According to the governor, his attention would be directed towards the provision of electricity, potable water, housing and construction of more roads.
“We are now going to focus on public utilities. Water supply is going to get our utmost attention in our second term. Power supply will also receive utmost attention as we have started the implementation with a pilot programme in Abeokuta. Ado-Odo/Ota, Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu will begin to enjoy 24 hours uninterrupted power supply.
“We will continue with our infrastructural development across the 20 Local government areas. We will ensure that the choice of infrastructure in terms of roads, comes from or people so that we remain inclusive and participatory in governance. We will continue with the rehabilitation, renovation and reconstruction of schools, both in the primary, junior and senior secondary schools and improve the quality of our education”, he informed.
The health sector, the governor emphasized would receive further boost with the renovation and provision of facilities, adding that the government would improve on the standard of the Primary Health Centres in all the 236 wards of the state.
He added his administration’s affordable housing programme would also continue, disclosing that “we have contracted 1,700 houses already and we are planning to make 4,000 in our second term”.
Abiodun maintained that his administration would give special attention to the Special Agro-Processing Zone situated at the state-owned Agro-Cargo Airport, while special attention would be given to the Kajola Dry Port to ensure that goods destined for the state from any part of the world are not routed to Apapa port, but Kajola, opining that it would fast-track ease of doing business in the state.
Speaking on his administration’s plans for the youths, the governor stated that special attention would be given to youth employment and job creation, noting some stadia in the state were undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation to provide a venue for the youth to discover their talents just as the state is preparing for the National Sports Festival, to he hosted by the state next year.
He, however, said that the meeting was to celebrate the victory recorded in the last Governorship and House of Assembly elections by the APC, saying that they all worked hard and God granted them success.
“The election was tough as it took our sweat and blood. We started working from our primaries by ensuring that fairness and equity prevailed. We delivered dividends of democracy knowing fully well that we are holding this mandate in trust for the people. In the course of running this government, we have been equitable, fair, just, accountable and inclusive by inviting people from other parties into our fold.
“We worked very hard for the elections because we didn’t want to take anything for granted by committing ourselves to the elections. I have no doubt that I, as the governor, did my best. We dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s, but the results showed that it was God and not man’s efforts that saw us through.
“We should thank God because our opponents also wanted to be in government. Our opponents also showed that they are stakeholders in the state project. Let us see how to engage them and bring them closer. It should not be we and them. They are Ogun State people who have the interest of this state at heart. Let us do this so that we do not fuel unnecessary acrimony among our people”, he stressed.
While urging the party faithful not to allow the election experience to interfere with the administration of people’s oriented programmes, the governor encouraged the new-elected House of Assembly members not to be demoralized by the outcome of the election, but take it as a lesson.
“We will continue with the same vision of providing focused and purposeful governance. We will push our frontiers as the industrial, educational and religious capital of Nigeria. We are fast becoming the food basket in the southwest, so we have a lot to be thankful. Please let us keep our eyes on the ball”, Abiodun submitted.
Former deputy governor in the state, Segun Adesegun in his remarks, acknowledged that the elections were highly and keenly contested, thanking God for giving the party victory and called for adequate rewards for those who worked hard for the party.
The deputy state chairman of the party, James Dina, who spoke on behalf of the state chairman, Yemi Sanusi, appreciated the governor for his moral and financial support given to the Assembly members- elect. He also appreciated the party faithful for working tirelessly towards the victory at the polls.
Some Assembly members-elect who spoke thanked the party for providing the platform for them to realize their dreams, pledging to cooperate with the executive arm of government to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people in the next four years.