Gov Sule and Ogun infrastructure’s catalyst for investments’ drive

Last week, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, played host to his Nasarawa State counterpart, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, at the Government House, Okemosan, Abeokuta, the state capital. As stated by the August Visitor, the courtesy call aimed to congratulate Prince Abiodun on his victory at the Supreme Court and to also commiserate with the family of the late former Minister of Finance, Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, who died late last year at the age of 90.

With a shared experience of prolonged litigation spanning over six months, the visit was an auspicious movement for the two friends to exchange pleasantries over their hard-won victory. “I am here to congratulate my brother over his victory at the Supreme Court, it was not an easy fight,” Governor Sule declared.

Beyond that, he also seized the occasion as a unique opportunity for cross-fertilization of ideas on how to achieve the developmental agenda set for the people of his Nasarawa home state. And he didn’t mince words on this as he said: “I am also here to appreciate him (Abiodun) for all the good works that he is doing and to learn from what he is doing in Ogun because Ogun to Lagos is the way Nasarawa is to Abuja, we have so much to learn from Ogun State.”

While on a tour of the state, one thing that particularly caught his fancy, among other critical landmark achievements, is the sprawling network of road infrastructures. Without much ado, this great accomplishment speaks for itself. Even as a cynic, you can only ignore it at your peril because posterity judges better than humans.

For being so impressed, Governor Sule commended Abiodun for his giant strides in road construction and infrastructural development in the last four and a half years. Expressing delight at the good road network that criss-crosses the state, described infrastructure as a catalyst for investments and industrial growth.

His words: “So many projects like the Agro-Cargo Airport are going on in the State. I know about the various projects that President Muhammadu Buhari came to commission.

“The last time I came here was when Nestle was beginning to build their factory and the Brewery was also building their site. Today, I have not only seen those industries, but I have also seen the dualisation of the Sagamu-Abeokuta road. We zoomed here in 20 minutes.

“That is what a private thinking person will do to attract investments as investments will not come without somebody doing something.”

Engr. Sule rightly observed that most of the projects were sited at the grassroots, adding that it would help in their socio-economic endeavours. “I am even happier that most of these projects are done at the grassroots as people will be able to benefit especially in the area of agriculture, health, and education,” he added.

The network of road infrastructure is not the only thing that stands out Ogun State among its peers. Beneath all the remarkable achievements in its capacity for Internally Generated Revenue. It is the magic wand that puts the state in the leading role. The recent report by the Economic Confidential which listed Ogun State as the second leading economically viable state in Nigeria after Lagos State is the evidence of the capacity of the state for IGR. For three consecutive sessions under the present administration, the state has routinely maintained its competitive edge over the rest of the country.

The Nasarawa Governor, while applauding the creativity Prince Abiodun has brought into governance, openly confessed the readiness of his administration to learn from the state. “We have so much to learn from Ogun State. Ogun is to Lagos what Nasarawa is to Abuja. In the area of revenue, Ogun State is doing very well and there are States that do not generate the kind of revenue Ogun is generating.

“The biggest of them all is the area of your revenue. You will not appreciate it until you understand what other states that are not generating this kind of revenue are doing,” he said.

There is, indeed, a direct link between revenue-generating capacity and economic viability. Without adequate funds, the desire of the administration to create an enabling environment for direct foreign and local investments in the state wouldn’t have been possible. Since Governor Abiodun assumed office, the commitment of his administration has been toward sustainable industrial growth. Yet, sustaining a leading position among other competing states is not by wishful thinking. It is one thing to evolve a roadmap to industrialization; it is another thing to sustain the action plan.

The pursuit of industrialization policy has been the over-arching objective of all successive governments, but none has achieved the level of success the present administration has recorded within the four and a half years of its inception. The difference is in the commitment to a sustainable environment for industrial growth through the aggressive development of a network of road infrastructures.

Apart from the network of road infrastructure visible across the three senatorial districts, continuous improvement in the Ease-of-Doing Business is also a major attraction for investors. This is evident in the creation of four economic zones in the last four and a half years in addition to Agbara Industrial Zone, which includes Ota and Kajola axes. The recent commissioning of two factories and extension of the Tropical General Investment, along Interchange, Sagamu is a good testament to the administration’s commitment to the effect of Easy-of-Doing Business.
Governor Abiodun, while commissioning the two factories, described the event as a classic example of the success story of the state and a reference point in Direct Foreign Investment. “If we had not increased the ranking of the state on the ease-of-doing business index, you would not be expanding your business. You are a testament to the fact that we are truly working the talk and we are proud to be associated with you”, he said.

The most celebrated infrastructure for agro-industrial transformation is the construction of the Agro-Cargo Airport project which would soon commence operation. The Airport with the longest runway in Nigeria (4KM) is primed to support the planned investment of over $400m for a special agricultural processing zone (SAPZ) in the adjourning lands. “All these projects have changed the face of the State as well as the well-being of the people,” Abiodun enthusiastically said.

The discussion on infrastructure will not be complete without a mention of the housing policy of the present government. As an administration that places a premium on humans as a means and an end to development, the Governor has left his imprint in this critical sector. In terms of housing, Ogun State has been adjudged to be the friendliest in the area of provision of affordable housing, bridging the housing deficit for the benefit of the people in the state and the nation at large.
It was in furtherance of his housing policy implementation that the government recently announced its decision to commence the rebuilding of structures inside the Government Residential Area Ibara occupied by civil servants in the state to give way to a smart city.

According to the Commissioner for Housing, Jamiu Akande Omoniyi, the decision aligns with the GRA Regeneration Programme initiated by the present administration. To this end, no fewer than 33 housing units sitting on about 7 hectares of land at the Annex of the Government Technical College, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, had been demolished as part of the regeneration programme. To this end, the Ogun State Housing Corporation has been monitoring compliance with the evacuation order issued by the state government to civil servants residing in the housing units.

Part of the vision to invest in affordable housing is to prepare the ground for the increasingly growing population of the state due to its proximity to Lagos, the nation’s commercial nerve centre. The idea is to bridge the yawning gap between the demand and supply sides of affordable rent.

As the Gateway to the largest and fastest growing commercial city in the West Africa sub-region, it has become imperative for the government to have a sustainable future action plan to absorb the exodus of people seeking affordable rent in Ogun State. Otherwise, the population explosion that will eventually result from the trend will overwhelm the government with its catastrophic consequences.

This is why the Governor has made affordable housing schemes the primary objective of his developmental agenda both for social security and economic advantage of an ever-increasing population. And he has left his imprints in the sand of time.

Apart from Idi Aba housing scheme, Ibara GRA (both in Abeokuta), there are other similar schemes in Igbeba in Ijebu Ode, Ota, and Ilaro. Not too long ago, the Governor flagged off Gateway Aviation Village in Iperu, consisting of 100 units of two-bedroom expandable bungalows out of the proposed 200 units.

This demonstrates the administration’s commitment to providing affordable housing and bridging the gap of housing deficit across the three Senatorial Districts of the State.

According to the Special Adviser on Housing, Jagunmolu Akande Omoniyi, the Gateway Aviation Village would complement the Agro-Cargo Airport which would further boost the socio-economic activities in the State, adding that the Aviation Estate would empower over 5,000 youth and artisans who will work on the site.

He disclosed that a replica of the project was already in Kemta, Idi-Aba, and Kobape in Abeokuta, while the ones in Sagamu, Ilaro, and Ijebu-Ode were nearing completion.

By projection, the first phase of the Gateway Aviation Village would be delivered in six months with the state-of -art infrastructural facilities that would be put in place to maximize the value of the estate. Ogun State has never had it so good.

Ogbonnikan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital