It is no longer news that the Osun State government did flag-off a multi-million naira infrastructural development in the state on Friday, October 27. Globally, any state or nation which neglects its infrastructural responsibilities can be said to be failing.
The Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, in his charismatic jovial attitude while unveiling a N100 billion infrastructural development project in Osogbo, said, “They tend to undermine and underrate my ability to perform because they said I am only a dancer not knowing that I am divinely endowed to achieve even where others fail.”
The governor who praised God for granting him the enablement to achieve much less than a year into his administration expressed his commitment to govern the state with the fear of God.
The project which was unveiled at the state secretariat in Osogbo, according to Governor Adeleke, would boost the state economy as 95 percent of the projects shall be executed by local content. He assured that, “Osun money will be spent in Osun. We are determined to eliminate capital flight as witnessed in the past.”
The governor listed the proposed projects to include: “rehabilitation of 345 health centres in the 332 wards in the state: rehabilitation will include, provision of potable water, new toilets, and bathrooms, beds, mattresses, bedsheets, renovation and painting of buildings, new curtains, and solar panels/inverters for 24 hours electricity and so on. Our approach is to take medical services to the doorstep of our people wherever they may be.
“Phase two of potable water provision in 332 wards of Osun State will include overhead tanks, dispensing taps, generators, or solar panels. Under Phase One as you have seen, 332 water projects were completed. They are all functioning. Under the new plan, another set of underserved areas across the 332 political wards will be served with water projects.
“Phase two of rehabilitation of 31 schools in the 30 local governments of Osun and area councils. The names of the schools chosen for the rehabilitation process were made known by the state commissioner for education.
“The rehabilitation includes potable water, new roofs, new toilets, renovation and painting of buildings, and provision of desks and chairs. As you have seen in phase one of the school rehabilitation, our approach is to take a school and completely rehabilitate the buildings completely with desks and other learning facilities.
“As a follow-up to the completed rehabilitation of selected schools, the government has commenced the process of recruiting new teachers to address teachers’ shortage in our schools. Currently, a need assessment is ongoing to determine the teachers’ requirements across subjects and schools. This will help to determine the number of teachers to recruit.
“Construction/rehabilitation of 45 roads of at least one kilometre in each of the 30 mother local governments, making a total of 45 kilometres. As you saw in the preview, we have earlier completed about 45 kilometres of roads across the LGAs. These new roads are fresh projects for phase two.
“Dualisation of roads: In a bid to ease traffic jams and reduce road accidents, we are dualising some roads in some major towns to start with. The listed towns include Osogbo, Ede and Ilesa, construction of five flyovers to ease traffic accidents and traffic jams.”
According to the governor, two flyovers will be constructed at Okefia and Lameco junction in Osogbo, one in Ikirun, one in Mayfair area in Ile-Ife and another one at Owode Ede.
“We are to install streetlights in all major towns, especially Osogbo as the state capital. This is important to enhance security surveillance and boost the night economy,” he said.
He noted that two medical outreaches were conducted in two locations in each of the three senatorial districts in the last 10 months.
According to him, the surgical procedures, including cataract eye surgeries, were done during the outreaches. He added that the outreaches will continue to be conducted once per quarter in the years ahead.
The governor added that “I took the decision because, infrastructure drives economic growth by facilitating trade and investment, stimulating enterprise opportunities, generating employment and providing poor people with access to basic services.
“Sound infrastructure is a condition for economic growth and development. The difference between a growing economy and a dormant one has to do with how developed the state infrastructure is. In the case of Osun, I have used the last 11 months to address the over 90 percent infrastructure deficit our administration inherited. But more still needs to be done, hence the ambitious plan to launch this infra plan that covers roads, health, water, schools among others.
“Osun as the cradle of Yoruba nation must move quickly on the ladder of development. We can and must surpass those presently leading among comity of states.”
We should come first in new age sectors like digital economy, sound infrastructures and others. We must overcome our inherited burden and chart a path of 21st century growth for our people.”
“By today’s event, our administration is building the confidence of the investing public. Osun state is ready and open for business. By investing so much in infrastructure upgrades, we are laying the foundation for effective public private partnership. We are getting set to key into infra financing opportunities as long as it will not add to the financial burden of the state.”
“Let me declare here that the infra plan I am about to unveil is purely state sponsored without any loan from financial institutions. I must also add that we are hitting the ground running immediately after this launch. We are complying with all procurement laws and due process”.
“Very importantly, our administration is ensuring localisation in the implementation process. Local content in terms of sourcing of materials and workforce are key to transfer skills and economically empower our people. This is in line with the five point agenda of our administration which seeks to boost the local economy. High local content is married with a strong maintenance plan to ensure the sustainability of the infrastructure. “
Governor Adeleke thereafter maintained that, “all these projects shall be completed within 12 months by the grace of God. It is therefore my honour and privilege to flag off the multi- Billion Naira Infrastructure Development of Osun. I implore the good people of the State to cooperate with the Contractors that will be handling these projects with the best of hospitality.”
“I organised this event as a major landmark in our push for the making of a new Osun State. Our administration is using this gathering to prove to the world that a new Osun is possible. The main purpose is therefore to unveil a Multi-Billion Infrastructure plan to address the huge deficit the state is experiencing.”
Speaking in Osogbo on the new development, a resident who identified himself as Alhaji Tajudeen Irewumi commended governor Adeleke for achieving much within his very short period of governance in the state.
He asserted that, “it is essential to the State’s economic development, it allows for businesses operations, it provides and creates job opportunities, it paves way for investment drives, it reduces supply chain disruptions and it gives the citizens opportunity to participate in the social and economic community and provides them with basic necessities of life.”
Irewumi stressed that,” it is going to improve the quality of the various components of infrastructure, such as roads, power, ICT, water, and sanitation. To them, infrastructure is considered a key factor in promoting economic growth for sustainable production and productivity”.
He however appealed to him to ensure that, quality work was done to facilitate durability.
The indigene added that, “infrastructure stands out as basic facilities that will serve Osun State citizens and help them in having a thriving economy. It will enhance the living standards of the state particularly in the areas of provision of essential commodities. With these ideas of Governor Adeleke, infrastructure will connect supply chairs and effectively move goods and services across borders. It will further connect households across metropolitan areas to higher quality opportunities for employment, healthcare and education”.
Another social analyst based in Osun opined that If these infrastructural dream of Governor Adeleke become so actualized, roads, transport systems, water, waste products, power grid, and other social amenities shall indeed make the economy of Osun State to function property if well implemented and sustained”.
He went further “Infrastructural Development affects growth through several supply and demand side channels. Investments in energy, telecommunications and transport networks, directly impact growth as all represent an essential input in any production of goods and services.
In addition, infrastructure will reduce the cost of delivered goods, facilitate the physical mobility of people and products, remove productivity constraints and increase competitiveness”.
Also speaking, Mrs Adelu Olanike who had benefitted from the governor’s medical outreach lauded him for his commitment to the well-being of the people.
She urged Osun residents to take advantage of the governor’s plan to continue to conduct the medical outreach periodically adding that the down trodden within the society have benefitted from the programme.
Based on this premise, a school of thought believes that, it is hoped that the administration of Governor Adeleke will go extra miles towards ensuring that, what was heard and seen in the scripts are well implemented for the benefits of the people of Osun State and not otherwise.
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