THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF ROAD TRANSPORTATION -OGUN PERSPECTIVE The prime place occupied by transportation in any progressive government’s drive at creating a vibrant and robust economy cannot be over emphasized. Little wonder why fuel scarcity which results from nationwide strikes of oil workers/marketers unions often grinds the nation’s economy to a halt. The indispensability of the transport sector to a buoyant economy accounts for why all the tiers of government across the country channel considerable investment into this sector which is largely operated by private individuals and interest groups. It follows that a society where there are good road networks with attendant infrastructural paraphernalia such as good drainages, flyovers, important road signs, traffic lights, pedestrian bridges and many more will experience speedier economic growth than a places with sparse and archaic infrastructural amenities. Until recently, the state of roads in Ogun State can be described as rustic, narrow and way below average of what obtains in an ideal civilized geographical entity. Their constructions dateback to colonial era with little or no maintenance done and few new roads constructed by successive post-independence governments to meet the growing socio-economic needs of the people. It is even more appalling no real significant improvements in terms of transforming suburbs into cities since the start of the new democratic dispensation in 1999. Given this foregoing, the incumbent Governor of Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has spared no effort at revolutionizing the transportation sector as part of his administration’s mission to rebuild the State and give it a modern facelift. Already, a solid foundation and an enduring legacy of efficient transportation system is now well-positioned by this administration to handle future challenges. Cognizant of the fact that efficient transportation system devoid of unnecessary carnage and wasteof time and resources thrives on the prerequisite of good network of roads, Governor Amosun has practically transformed Ogun State to a huge construction site with his numerous road dualisation projects ‘crisscrossing’ the four divisions of the State which includes that of, Egba, Yewa, Remo and Ijebu in his urban renewal programme. Some of these roads include, Ilisan, Ago-Iwoye Road, Ota, Ilo-Awela Road, and the just concluded Ibara/ Sokori/Totoro 6 lane among many others. The roads are not only being constructed to measure up with world-class Ogun Standard but are also accompanied with flyovers and pedestrian bridges where necessary to ease traffic congestion and provide safety for commuters. This infrastructural revolution by the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration is said to be first of its kind in the history of Ogun State and has also been described as a daring step towards bringing the sad stories of bad roads in the state to a joyous ending. Through the Bureau of transportation under the leadership of Barrister Gbenga Opesanwo, government has consolidated on its road expansions and constructions by acquiring 77 buses for the newly introduced Bus Mass Transit (BMT) projects. The BMT, with a unique ticketing system, comprises a fleet of buses servicing commuters within the State and beyond run by a team of well-trained courteous, responsible and professional drivers and conductors. The scheme has not only helped in empowering some indigenes of the State but has also provided a far better alternative to the old cab system for the travelling populace of the state. Similar to the BMT’s goal of making transportation stress-free and enjoyable for the people of the state, Ogun State Government has acquired 150 fully-air conditioned saloon cars to kick start another scheme in the state called Ogun Metro Taxis Scheme otherwise known as “Irorun de”.. In furtherance of the determined bid of the Senator Amosun-led administration to make travelling comfortable and worthwhile for the good people of Ogun State, the Bureau of Transportation had also been playing significant roles to complement sacrosanct effort of the present administration in order to cushion stress of transportation systems in the state. In view if this, the Bureau has deployed over 150 traffic sign posts across major roads in the state to ensure safe motoring and installed traffic lights at major junctions in the State. Additionally, the Bureau has done lane marking on roads for smooth driving experiences of motorist, safety of pedestrians, its awareness and sensitization programmes on safe motoring and Okada riding are vigorously being pursued via electronic, print, and social media. The enforcement unit of the Bureau, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) has also been strengthened and revitalized to enforce compliance to traffic laws in the state and this, to a large extent, has assisted in restoring sanity to the roads in the State, and reduction of road accident in the state. Moreso, the foregoing ground breaking achievements in the State’s transportation system as well as in other sectors have ensured that residents of Ogun State are willing to repose more trust in the purposeful and dynamic leadership of Senator Ibikunle Amosun. There is no doubt that this new development will create a viable and vibrant economy for the benefit of the people of the state, and future of Ogun State is now very bright! By: Femi Olayinka Press Officer Ogun State, Bureau of Transportation
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 10:11:40 +0000
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