The Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Wednesday, inaugurated the 2.4km Oke-Ola Road in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, declaring that his administration has moved from the era of groundbreaking to a period of project commissioning across the state.
Speaking at the event witnessed by top political functionaries, party stalwarts, and traditional rulers, Abiodun noted that the road is strategic to the economic development of the Ogun West Senatorial District and the state in general.
“We have gone beyond the era of ground-breaking, this commissioning is therefore a departure from the past as it is the first to be done in Yewaland in many years.
“The Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle always says to say all the previous administrations used to do was to come to Yewaland to do groundbreaking after groundbreaking, they never commissioned. And I said to Kabiyesi that by the grace of God, we are going to break that jinx and today is a historic day not just in the history of this state, but in Yewaland.
“This administration is three years and four months in the saddle, it has started that process of commissioning roads and we have started right here in Imeko-Afon LG”, he stated.
Abiodun said that the road project is another symbolic demonstration of his administration’s approach to the strategic, methodical, and systemic development of Ogun State.
He noted further that the road means many things as it is a deliberate approach towards providing a smooth interconnection between the food baskets, industrial hubs and the neighboring states.
“Ogun State remains the biggest producer of cassava in Nigeria, and one of the largest producers of maize in Nigeria. Imeko/Afon is one of the reasons we take that vantage position. This same Imeko/Afon is also the host of the Oodua Groups Investment Company Limited Cassava Cultivation and Processing Project at Imeko, and some farm settlements. Just a few meters from here is the farm settlement at Oha village”, he noted.
The governor who described the town as the agricultural hub of the State posited that the Oke Ola road would also serve as an inter-state road that connects to Oyo State through Malete town, and help in improving the security apparatus along the various border communities in the axis.
“We cannot forget that Imeko/Afon is also a window into the expansive corridor of West Africa, therefore, this road is multi-purpose. On one hand, it is a township road that adds to the aesthetics of Imeko town.