Olufemi Ajadi has assured that come 2023, Ogun State will experience revolutionary infrastructural development and massive youth employment.
Ajadi who is the governorship flagbearer of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the state, said the revolutionary infrastructural development would not only be sunk in the city centers, but located across the 20 local government areas of the state.
A release signed by his Consultant, on Media and Strategy, Cami Ezenwa, quotes Ajadi as saying these after a strategic meeting with some NNPP stakeholders on Sunday.
Ajadi said his team had already developed a marshal plan on road networks, that would rehabilitate roads in the state that had remained abandoned over the years, despite being critical to the economic development of the state, and the welfare of the people.
He mentioned the Sango-Otta, and Ojodu-Ijoko roads as an example of critical infrastructure that had become a source of worry due to disrepair, saying that his administration would be willing to repair it on behalf of the federal government, as a way of easing the life and business of Ogun people.
Ajadi said just a casual assessment of the state of Ogun, revealed to him and his tactical team, how terribly people in the hinterlands of the state particularly, had been suffering due to bad roads, insecurity, and lack of electricity.
“Typical examples are Ibafo, Mowe, Ajuwon, AKute, Olambe and Sango. It is not that Abeokuta itself is totally free from bad roads, but it is terrible in the above communities, and I don’t think it should be.”
He said aside from the fact that residents of those areas are taxpayers implied that they should be factored in the state government’s development programs.
“It is sad indeed that with a small rainfall, roads in these areas remain impassable. Everywhere is flooded, and you see potholes or heavy stones dropped at those bad spots almost all over these areas. To drive there, your vehicle has to crawl, and usually break down, if you do not enter a gutterThis is not supposed to be”.
He then wondered what government should be for if it could not provide these needs for the people.
According to Ajadi, it had become difficult to understand why the sitting government that has a budget and collects taxes, had found it difficult to attend to the infrastructure in the state despite its promises to take care of the welfare of the people.
According to him, the above could only show the insensitivity of the government, especially given the constant outcries of the residents and users of these roads, as captured in the media from time to time.
Ajadi also said his administration would also prioritize youth employment, by creating jobs at different levels of need.
On how he planned to do this, however, he said he was keeping the template under wraps so as not to sell out to the opponents, but reiterated that the youth and women empowerment initiative of his administration would be implemented in liaison with some foreign agencies, which are also interested in youth development.
“As a party, we treasure youths especially because they have something to contribute to the development of the state. Even now that we are crying about insecurity, we can check-mate the insecurity by incorporating youths. You have some of them who are school leavers, able-bodied, and ready to contribute to securing their state once the incentives are there.
“That is what we plan to do: engage these youths, provide incentives for them, and support them to take care of themselves, and their immediate families. That is what government is supposed to do, and you will discover that such youths would play their part in your security-, development”, Ajadi said.
