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General News of Sunday, 18 July 2021

Source: thenationonlineng.net

Buhari approves N79b for Ilaro-Papalanto-Sagamu expressway

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has lauded the Federal Government for approving the construction of the Ilaro-Papalanto-Sagamu expressway in support of the state efforts on infrastructural development.

Addressing the people of Yewa South at Ilaro, Abiodun disclosed that the reconstruction of the 100 kilometres road will cost the Government about N79bn. He added that the road which crosses through Obafemi-Owode, Ewekoro, Yewa South and North local government areas is a major arterial road that links the state to other states and the ECOWAS sub-region.

While assuring that his administration would complete the Owode-Ilaro Road before the end of the year, the governor disclosed that his administration had completed 66 projects in the Yewa South LG, in two years. The governor, however, called on the people of the local government to come out in large numbers and vote for the APC chairmanship candidate, Lateef Salami and other councillorship candidates during the LG poll. Speaking earlier in Ipokia, the governor said his administration would soon take a decision on the viability and sustainability of the establishment of the Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia established by the immediate past administration.

Abiodun, who declared that the idea behind the establishment of the institution was a good one, disclosed that the circumstances that led to its establishment, viability and cost would be taken into consideration, while the state government is taking a stand on it. Gov. Abiodun stated this while fielding questions from newsmen, shortly after he visited the site of the institution, situated in Oke’ebo Area of Ipokia town, as part of the election campaigns of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to Ipokia and Yewa South LGs, in preparation for the local government elections coming up on July 24.

“We have appointed a committee to review all the projects that were ongoing but not completed by the previous administration and this project was reported amongst others. Now that I am here and have seen, I will go back and make my decision. Government is a continuum and this administration has pledged that every commonwealth of ours that we have invested in any project, as well as that project is of socio-economic importance to our people, we will ensure its continuity”, Abiodun noted.

He pointed out that his administration met a chaotic situation where the polytechnic was moved to Ipokia to give way to the proposed Moshood Abiola University of Technology, Abeokuta, expressing unhappiness that neither of the two Institutions got accreditation to begin operations.

“When we assumed office, Ogun State Polytechnic was not in session as it was meant to be relocated to this premises and the facility meant to become the Moshood Abiola University (MAUTECH) which neither had gotten accreditation was not operational, the same with this polytechnic. Thank God, we have been able to resolve that of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and it is up and running”, he added.

The governor said seven buildings including a proposed 750 seater hall, two proposed 300 lecture theatres, an administration building, two hostels and two classrooms were the only structures his administration met on the ground at the polytechnic.

Abiodun, however, disclosed that he had earlier sent an inter-ministerial committee to inspect facilities in the institution, access the level of completion, suitability and readiness for use to enable the government to take an informed decision to the benefit of the people of the state.

“The facilities are still at a stage where they go can’t be used; I don’t know why anyone will close the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and move them here to Ipokia when the site was not even ready."