Politics
By Kennedy Nnamani
THE residents of the Arepo-Journalsts estate in Obafemi-Owode local government area of Ogun State have commended Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state for inaugurating the 2.5km double lane Arepo-Journalsts estate road.
According to the report from Sylva News, Ganiyu Kazeem, Chairman of Area CDC, the governor’s intervention has saved the community of the hardships they had been facing since their self-help efforts in fixing the road proved abortive.
Kazeem added that the dilemma prompted many residents to relocate to Lagos and other nearby towns and thereby causing the value of landed property in the community to crash.
According to Kazeem, Arepo residents are pleased with what the governor has done since the former governors of the state failed to work on the road after several promises.
The report also said that Oba Atunda Oyebi, the Olu of Arepo, who spoke in Yoruba, recalled the nightmare the residents faced on the road before its reconstruction and the devastating effects of flood on the road.
It added that the Olu was grateful for the construction and commissioning of the road as promised by the governor in 2018/19 during his campaign, noting that the project came as a surprise to the people of the community, as they never expected it, as quickly as possible.
In his remarks, Jide Oke, Chairman, JERDA, Phase 1, noted that the economic value of the standard road is unequalled; hence Arepo has become a high-quality mega-city with increased commercial activities on the account of the good road network.
The Arepo-Journalists road, according to Oke, is a testimony that Abiodun “is a promise-keeper and media-friendly governor, describing such a feat as unprecedented”.
In the same vein, Funke Fadugba, the former Chairman of the Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, said the road was initially a write-off, but the intervention of the governor staved-off the situation.
Describing Abiodun as a leader to trust, she said his predecessor, Senator Amosu deceived the residents for the period of eight years, promising severally to fix the road and failing severally.
Fadugba added that the amiable governor has further confirmed the fact that “the governor is a man of his words”.
“We are happy and grateful, as Mr. Governor has given the residents a great face-lift,” she said. “Your second term bid is a done and dusted deal in view of all your giant strides in infrastructural renewals and industrial revolution, which have won you the prestigious national award.”
Governor Abiodun had on Monday inaugurated the 2.5km Arepo-Journalists Estate road, which connects Arepo community to over 18 corporate estates and links to Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
Inaugurating the newly-constructed road, the governor said that the project was a promise kept, recalling that his administration promised to provide good roads to the community during his electioneering campaigns.
“Today is another remarkable day in the history of the state as well as the residents of Arepo community. This is not just another commitment to the realization of another project meant to comfortably transform the lives of our people through our focused-policies and programmes.
“Many of you here will recall that during my electioneering campaign in 2018/2019, I promised that I will reconstruct this road, which became a nightmare and was causing untold hardship to the people residing in this community.
“It was not unattended by the previous government. All they had was only a signboard, saying they were reconstructing this road and that was where they started and where they stopped.
“I returned to you today to celebrate and fulfill that promise I made to you all in 2018,” he said.
The governor also promised to build a befitting health centre with ambulance in Arepo as well as complete the Journalists Estate civic centre.
KN
Tags: Atunda Oyebi Ganiyu Kazeem Gov. Dapo Abiodun Jide Oke Kennedy Nnamani Sylva News
