Akinwumi Odejobi highlights Adeleke’s achievements at NUJ Guest Platform

By Isa Isawade

The Special Adviser to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Special Duties, Mr Akinwumi Odejobi, on Wednesday highlighted the infrastructural achievements of incumbent administration in the state.

Odejobi listed what he regarded as laudable achievements of the Adeleke administration at the maiden edition of Nigeria Union of Journalism, NUJ, Osun State Council GUEST PLATFORM held at the NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo where he was the Special Guest.

The theme of the discussion was: Infrastructural Provision in Osun State Under The Ongoing Dispensation.

Adewumi, while fielding questions from the panelists said the road network in the state was bad when the administration took off in November 2022.

According to him, that made the then new governor resolve to put the state right in terms of infrastructure.

He said the administration has made the state more attractive to investors due to its aggressive road construction which, according to him, cut across the state.

“The government has completed so many projects in the state, and some are still ongoing. We have completed Oba Sir Adesoji Aderemi intersection 1 and 2. We have built and completed a flyover at Oke Fia. We constructed another flyover at LAMECO, Osogbo. We’ve completed the dualisation of Old Garage, Oke Fia; dualisation of Osogbo Steel Rolling; Alamisi Road, 10 kilometers; dualisation of the Rangers Square at Imo Breweries, Ilesa Road Expressway; Ademorokun Street, Oke Oko GRA, Ilesa has been completed.”

Other roads he said have been completed include Ogbon Titun, Okesa Community, Ilobu, Alhaji Olasupo Road in Ilesa, Ita- Offa, Oromu, Araromi, Market gate among others.

He also informed his audience that amenities such as hospitals, health centres, water projects and schools were either renovated or built in the state. According to him, about 352 health centres have been built by the administration.

Adewumi seized the occasion to debunk the allegation of Edelisation by critics of the administration in the state, saying the aforementioned projects are evidence that the governor did not focus on his home town, Ede.

The NUJ GUEST PLATFORM was conceived as a bridge between the government and the people.

Earlier in his welcome address read by a member of the Executives, the Chairman of the Osun NUJ Council, Adeyemi Aboderin, said the objective is “simple but critical- to present the true picture of public issues, devoid of propaganda, sensationalism or bias.”

Adeyemi warned participants to allow the conversation to be issue-based.

“This is not a court of political castigation. It is not a stage for praise-singing. It is a forum for facts, figures and constructive engagement,” Adeyemi warned.

He told the journalists at the event that, “Our duty as journalists is not to take sides, but to take a stand for the truth.

To the public, he said: “To our listeners at home, in offices, in parks and on transit: you are the reason we do this. Governance thrives when people ask questions. Development deepens when leaders are held accountable with civility and evidence.”

He concluded by quoting the indelible words of the late Dele Giwa who said: “The people have a right to know. And the press has a duty to tell them.”