Sina Ogunbambo: The roads in Ogun State
The roads in Ogun State
By Sina Ogunbambo, The Guardian, Monday, September 29, 2008
MR. SUNDAY Saanu’s letter published on page 14 of Wednesday, September 16, 2008 of The Guardian titled: “Governor Daniel, Repair These Roads” should have been one of the avenues where the Ogun State Government gets the desired feedback from the public and could have been greatly appreciated, except for the fact that the six-paragraph letter was more of a fiction, laced with blatant lies and purely a hatchet job aimed at rubbishing the relentless efforts of Governor Gbenga Daniel not only in transforming the state, but in running a government, the way it should run.
The import of Saanu’s intention could be decoded, quoting from his letter:
“From Obantoko to Adatan, through Sapon going to Itoku, it was as if I was driving through a jungle as all the major roads were riddled with frightening gullies and potholes”.
“I know that comparison is invidious but I dare to say that the roads in Ibadan are not as bad as what my family and I saw in the Rock City. I have also been to Niger State, the roads there are fantastic”.
While the writer has a fundamental right of freedom of expression, that freedom does not give him the latitude to misinform the generality of the people, especially those who have not yet been opportuned to be in Abeokuta and purely rely on what they read in the media. It is on record that one of the programmes that made Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s administration refreshingly different is the attention and utmost priority he has given to road construction and rehabilitation throughout Ogun State, since he was sworn in on May 29, 2003.
Even before his first 100 days in office during his first term, Governor Daniel did not only achieve the rehabilitation of Ogun State roads, he also embarked on rehabilitation of the Federal roads such as the Sagamu-Benin Expressway up to Ajebandele on the Ogun-Ondo border through the then newly introduced, Ogun Road Management Agency (OGROMA). That was a road littered with potholes and gullies, which then made accidents to thrive, while armed robbers were having a field day.
Without wanting to thump one’s chest, it was this pioneering intervention that gave birth to the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and a host of other road rehabilitation agencies in several states of Nigeria. Through OGROMA alone, over 500 roads were constructed and rehabilitated in Ogun State during Daniel’s first term and over 200 roads have also gotten that touch in the present dispensation. Abeokuta, the state capital alone enjoyed the construction/rehabilitation of over 100 roads.
As the roads are fixed on a daily basis (except when rain disturbs) by OGROMA, with her various work gangs, operating in the four divisions of the state, so also is the Ministry of Works constructing roads through contract awards while rural roads are getting the desired attention through Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development. This notwithstanding, roads do get damaged, but the important thing is that there is a sustained culture of maintenance as an agency is on stand-by for that purpose.
Ogun State is definitely not in a competition with any other state as regards road construction/rehabilitation but without being immodest, we can safely say that the state is primus-inter-pares amongst the 36 states in quality roads.
For the benefit of Mr. Saanu who obviously rarely visits his place of birth, Abeokuta and other members of the public, the following major roads, which Saanu’s lenses cannot capture were constructed within the last one year in Abeokuta alone.
- Dualisation of Lalubu express road, with street lights and parking lot that can rank as one of the best in Nigeria, Obafemi Awolowo Avenue and Ake palace Road.
- Complete construction of Kojumaribi Road, Iberekodo Elega road, Kuto-Nawarudeen road, Itoku – Adatan (Oke-Ero) road.
- Rehabilitation of over other 90 roads.In the last five years, Abeokuta has witnessed an astronomical growth in population, implying more vehicles on the roads and more usage of water, which makes the previous conduit drainages (underground) to be inadequate, due to frequent blockage. This administration apart from fixing the roads has also embarked on construction of open drainages.When some of the roads get damaged during rainy seasons they do, not because they did not enjoy quality rehabilitation, but due to the sheet erosion from the upland, which creates the havoc of potholes. When such occurrence takes place, the engineers definitely have to wait for the rain to subside before fixing them. Such an exercise is going on as at the time you are reading this rejoinder.
Now, let’s go into specifics on the roads that Sunday Saanu mentioned, that had made him place the verdict of a jungle, on Abeokuta roads.
- Obantoko-Adatan road is a two-kilometre road enjoying complete rehabilitation as at now. The portion from Adatan to Asero is also being dualised. The target is to complete this federally-owned road by March 2009. Definitely, you cannot expect to have a jolly ride on a road that is under construction, but was not totally closed so that commuters do not suffer untold hardship.
- Sapon to Itoku (300 metres). This road as at today is good and passable.
- Itoku – Ikija (less than 1 Kilometre) nothing practically is bad on this road. However there are a few potholes on Ajitadun end of that road and even as at that, it is still 80 per cent perfect in terms of road maintenance.
- Akin Olugbade social centre – Owu Baptist Church (this road is okay). Totoro Junction is not far from this area. That road is bad due to the very heavy floods of the last rainy season. The work required on this road is major and efforts are on to effect total reconstruction of the damaged portion, which includes a bridge.Fixing of roads in Ogun State now is not a problem as there is a stock of bitumen while the equipment are in place. The actual rehabilitation/construction is through the direct labour approach, utilising the once upon a time under utilised-engineers in the civil service who are now fully engaged and have even constructed the best of dualised expressways in Nigeria. Mr. Sunday Saanu with his family must have enjoyed themselves at the newly transformed (now world class rated tourist centre) Olumo Rock, which they visited.They must have seen other glittering roads, companies, sophisticated banks, the now world-class MKO Stadium and the beautiful mansions in this now commercial Abeokuta city. He must have read or heard of Ogun State being the new investment destination of choice in Nigeria, harbouring projects like Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas, the Free Trade Zones and the over 80 industries springing up in Ogun State.
Saanu should feel free to visit Ogun State again and be patriotic and passionate enough not only to visit his relatives at Lafenwa but also drive through Abeokuta and visit Ijebu, Remo and Yewa axis. He should meet the Chinese investors who have now made Ogun State, a home. In Ogun State, our performance is 100 per cent, while we allow our job to do the public relations for us and not 90 per cent public relations and 10 per cent performance as Sunday Saanu will want to infer.
The Guardian fortunately has a Correspondent in Abeokuta to corroborate or controvert our response, while investigation teams from media houses are heartily welcomed.
