BEVERLY HILLS, April 05, (THEWILL) – Ogun State Government, Thursday, inaugurated the reconstruction of the Journalists Estate Road in Arepo, a community off the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state, promising that the 2.35 kilometre road project would not exceed the projected nine-month completion timeframe.
Representing the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to flag-off the project in Arepo, with the State Commissioner for Information, Comrade Waheed Odusile and his Works & Infrastructure counterpart, Engr. Ade Akinsanya.
They were received at Arepo by the representatives of the community, including the Olu of Arepo, Oba Solomon Atanda; Chairperson of the Journalists Estate Residents Association (JERDA) Phase 1, Mrs Funke Fadugba; executives of the Arepo Central Community Development Association (ACCDA) as well as some residents.
The Commissioners assured the residents that the project would not be abandoned but delivered on time.
“This project is not going to be abandoned; the contractor is fully funded. We are going to do everything humanly possible not to inconvenient a lot of people, but at the same time, we need to get the work done.
“This is a dualised road with a median and street lights. The water will be channeled to the proper location to be disposed into the canal. Also, along the way, their will be a lay-by for transporters, the drain is covered, it will serve as a walk-way, the face of this place will change very soon,” Akinsanya said.
According to the Commissioner, “This place has lots of journalists residing in the area, cover and probably document the changes you have seen along the way, so, you should be the government’s eyes on this project.
“This is an affirmation that a promise made is a promise kept as far as Governor Dapo Abiodun is concerned, we want to assure our people that within the time frame allocated for the contract, it will be completed and delivered.”
Assuring resident whose properties were affected by the project on adequate compensation, Akinsanya said: “The Ministry of Physical Planning is responsible, they’ve come out and asked all the areas affected to bring supporting documents. They came with the Bureau of Lands for the enumeration of whatever will be impacted, so, the issue bordering on compensation will be taken care of by the Bureau of Lands and the Ministry of Physical Planning.
“As long as you have all your permits and other approvals, take the documents to them, it will be taken care of. Luckily, most of the areas affected are either fences or walls, it is when you get to the end of the project that we are probably looking at about two to three houses and we can still look at how to mitigate the big impact.”
Also speaking during the flag-off ceremony and inspection of the project site, the Commissioner of Information, Odusile, described the project as a fulfilment of the promise of the Dapo Abiodun-led government, to make movement of goods, services and the people easy in the area.
“When the governor invited traditional rulers of various communities in the state to write to government what were their pressing needs, Arepo told us, this road is the most critical and the governor has listened and today, he has assured, the desire will come true,” he noted.
Appreciating the state government’s show of concern to the community over the long-abandoned and deteriorating road, JERDA Phase 1 chairperson, Fadugba, appealed to the state governor to fulfil the promise made to the people on healthcare, saying the sprawling community really needs a primary healthcare facility.
“Aside road deficit which is now being fixed, Arepo needs a functional Primary Healthcare Centre to cater for the large population of women and children as
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