APPRAISING AMOSUN’S STEWARDSHIP IN OGUN STATE By Ademola Orunbon Visioning is a major factor in governance. Purposeful leadership comes with well articulated vision and mission. To bring about and effect positive change, especially that which is sustainable, leadership must set up goals that are smart, measurable, achievable, reliable and tangible with effective time line. In addition, it behoves a visionary leadership to remain focused, determined even in the face of odds and challenges. The path to success may be thorny, as it is often, but the ultimate goal is its result – good and enduring result and a good leader must not be found wanting when decisions to move from point A to point B are desirable, all in the interest of the masses - the majority. And it is a timid and impotent administration that will shy away from executing its policies due to it possible unintended consequences on some of its people. For any action oriented government, it rings true that eggs have to be broken to serve omelets now and in the future. The above perfectly explains the philosophy behind the 5 cardinal programmes of the present administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State Government. It is also the reason why Ogun State Government, based on established principles both Scientific and otherwise, set a target for the attainment of adequate infrastructure to the nooks and crannies of the Ogun State within three and half years. Since assuming office in 2011, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has never left no stone unturned and anyone in doubt as regards his administration’s readiness to raise the standard of living of the average residents, especially through the provision of adequate infrastructural facilities to the State. Though am not surprised at the action of the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun for the provision of all these basic needs for the citizen of the state as it was part of electioneering campaign promises in 2011 and also a mission to re-build the state. Amosun, like many patriotic Nigerians and Visionaries, knows that unless infrastructural facilities is provided for the State, the attainment of the other four cardinal programmes of the five cardinal programmes will be a mirage. That is more reasons why the Senator Ibikunle Amosun focused more attention on infrastructure in the State, to ensure prompt and regular flow of economic in the State. But it is quite absurd and very unfortunate that virtually everything in Ogun State as at today has been politicized by the oppositions who are desperately seeking political power at all cost through their destructive criticism in the State. Expectedly, such people wanted Senator Ibikunle Amosun, like a magician, to tackle and bring solution to the inherited problems facing the State overnight, whereas, the economic, political, and infrastructural situation of the State are totally in shamble and to put them in order would not take less than four to five years. Unexpectedly, Nigerian Urban Centres in the Country are currently experiencing a disconnection between urban infrastructure and the populace. The majority of urban infrastructure was developed during the military regimes as far back as the early 70s. Despite the succession of democratic governance in the 21st century, there had been an inadequate maintenance of infrastructure in most urban centres across Nigeria. The current government of Ogun State made it mandatory to establish regeneration projects within the built environment, but other urban centres in the country are less concerned about the increased rate of environmental dilapidation. This has hindered the growth of many sectors, which in return has stagnated the economy over the years. However, over 55% of infrastructures across urban centres in Nigeria have not been fully operational for the past decade. This is associated with poor urban renewal plans, lack of regeneration policies, increased poverty, insecurity, corruption, insufficient environmental regeneration, stakeholders’ differences and inefficiency in incorporating people’s initiatives. Nonetheless, sustainable urban renewal in Nigeria is important to mitigate against climate change challenges. This is because, while most urban centres are located on low-lying coastlines, others are located in the arid zones of the country. Urban renewal has become a key theme amongst built environment professionals in developing countries. This emerged from the rapid population growth and urban sprawl experienced in most developing countries such as; Nigeria, India, Philippines, China, Brazil, Hong Kong and Bangladesh. In addition, it is noted that most urban centres in Nigeria were planned before the establishment of regional town planning and urban development. This has increasingly limited infrastructural innovation, urban management and integration of sustainable urban practice, necessary for 21st century urban development. With these backlogs of underdevelopment in the country, the Ogun State government under the leadership of Senator Ibikunle Amosun has considered it as a mandatory to develop both the rural and urban areas of the state, example is Abeokuta, the Capital city of Ogun State, which had for a long time been on the wrong side of development index in the Country, is gradually wearing a new look and a new face lift. A good number of those who hold sway as governor and public office-holders in the State during the locust era of the military, and the current civil rule did their best to the gnawing problem of development and the rot in the city. Top government Officials had always explained the failure of the government to address the plight of the City on the premise that Abeokuta is an ancient town whose plan is lacking in adequate implementation. However, the story of the ancient City is changing. At the inception of his administration last May 2011, Governor Ibikunle Amosun promised the Ogun citizenry that his administration would give attention to the challenges of wresting Abeokuta from infrastructural decay, flooding and erosion identified as the loudest sources of misery to the inhabitants of the city. Although not quite number of people believed the governor then, he has commenced a process in earnest to remove the shameful scar of rot from the city. He has also taken some practical steps to fulfill his promise to recreate the exploits of Gov; Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State in Ogun. He seems to be drawing his inspiration from transforming effect of creative governance in Lagos as shown by the conversion of Oshodi from a centre of filth and crime to a welcoming centre. In the past three years now, Abeokuta and other sub-urban residents have witnessed the noticeable impacts of governmental presence. The loudest indication of Amosun’s determination to fulfill his promise to make Abeokuta a modern metropolis in the new face of the City centre popularly referred to as Sokori/Ita-Eko/Totoro Road and other major roads. The seriousness of the exercise is underscored by the fact that the government has demolished structures that were erstwhile referred to as “untouchable.” These are structures that belong to very powerful institutions, the wealthy and the influential class in the State and Federal Government. The determination of the administration to enforce total compliance with the government’s right of way and expansion of major roads to give Abeokuta a new face lift considered sacrosanct is clearly indicated by the successful demolition of the Ocean Bank (now Eco Bank) PLC at Ibara roundabout, a side view of one of the eatery in the State, Mr. Biggs partially affected, a house belonging to the Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and the fence of his Church also demolished too. For the first time in Abeokuta, several people who had exploited the weakness of previous administrations to encroach on the right of way including the commercial Bank in the city, got the message and decided to embark on the expected corrective step of vacating the area and relocated. Even as the exercise continues a good number of roads, especially the major ones and streets had being stripped off for roads reconstructions and expansions, like Lafenwa/Ogtv roads, Itoku/ Sapon roads, Akinolugbade/Agbe loba/Quarry roads, Omida/Isale-gbein roads and many more roads and structures that had combined to make Abeokuta a vast city with narrow roads.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 09:47:33 +0000
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