Ibikunle Amosun: Meeting the Aspirations of Ogun State People.
In discussing governance and political leadership in Nigeria today, the place of Ogun, popularly known as the Gateway State, cannot be overemphasized. The state remains one of the very few in the country, whose citizens have not only played critical roles in the political evolution of Nigeria, but have also made tremendous impact in various fields of their chosen endeavors.
No doubt, Ogun State, having existed for over four decades, have become one of those strategic states, both in the Southwest region and Nigeria, used in measuring the National growth of our country, particularly in the last one decade.
Today, Ogun State ranks among the States in Nigeria, that can boast of a rapid transformation, as could be visibly seen, in the area of Infrastructure, Social amenities, Industrial growth and Peaceful co-existence, amongst its citizens.
Since His assumption of office in May 2011, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, has clearly made enviable and outstanding records to be reckoned with, particularly among governors belonging to his then political party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), now All Progressives Congress (APC).
His first term in Office, which witnessed an unprecedented level of development in the state, brought succor to the majority of Ogun State people.
Upon assumption of office, Governor Amosun inherited a state, which was in such a terrible position, going by the depth of decadence in government infrastructures, basic amenities, and most worrisome, the state’s financial records.
Despite the very dilapidating situation, that the Amosun’s administration met the state, it has refused to be distracted from the set-out goals of giving the people of Ogun State the much-needed dividends of democracy which has eluded the State under previous administrations.
Today, Governor Ibikunle Amosun has been able to make a lot of transformation in every area of governance, since becoming the Chief Executive of the state. Specifically, the Amosun led
administration has been able to distinguish itself in the areas which include Education, healthcare, Agriculture, Roads, Urban renewal, Industrialization and Community development. Through what has overtime become to be known as the “Mission to Rebuild Ogun State”, the administration has continued to bridge the gap between the elite and masses as far as the delivery of dividends of democracy is concerned.
The administration in an unprecedented manner, embarked on an aggressive re-positioning of the Health sector in the State, which has now witnessed a mass rehabilitation and reconstruction of Hospitals and primary healthcare centres, increase in the state’s malaria control programme and the adequate funding of the implementation of the free health services to pregnant women, babies under five years and senior citizens above the age of 70 years.
Ogun state under Governor Ibikunle Amosun, has declared Agriculture as a priority sector, based on its belief, that the value chain processes of agriculture, have a limitless capacity for employment and wealth creation. The administration have consistently pursued, policies, programmes and projects, aimed at opening up agriculture, as a viable business. The state today, boasts of landmark agricultural projects such as the Owowo Model Farm Estate, which boasts of State-of-the-arts facilities, which has become a main reason, of attracting the young people, to the prospects of agriculture, in the state. The rehabilitation of moribund farm settlements across the state, the agricultural business schemes, which prepares the young generation of Ogun state youth, to taking advantage of the opportunities, in the agricultural value chain.
As part of his rural and urban renewal scheme, the Amosun’s administration has continued to invest massively, in the rehabilitation of some federal roads across the State, while not abandoning the state owned roads, many of which the administration has approved, and are undergoing reconstruction across the three senatorial districts of the State.
Developing Ogun State Communities, is an area the administration of Governor Amosun holds very dear. This has made the administration, to be able to reach out to hundreds of local communities in the state with one project or the other. Under this programme, the government liases with the selected communities, for its needed project following which contractors are selected within the locality and contracted to execute the agreed project.
Though not yet uhuru, one can confidently say that the achievements so far witnessed under the administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, are unprecedented in the history of the state. The government in its determination to fulfil its Mission to rebuild the State, have continued to turn rural to urban places, while also making the urban centres worth living, not only for natives and residents alike, but has also visitors, who now regularly troop into the State, for economic and social activities.
Although Governor Amosun has remained very modest about his numerous achievements so far, but as residents and entrepreneurs in Ogun State, one remain very optimistic that the administration is people centred and will inevitably ensure that Ogun State is restored to its rightful position as the Gateway State in Nigeria. It is also abundantly clear, from the sustained determination of the Ibikunle Amosun’s administration in Ogun State, that Nigerians, particularly the people of Ogun State can now abundantly have a feel and look of how modern democracy should be practiced; people can now enjoy practically the dividends of democracy in Ogun State despite the meager allocations that is coming from the federal purse and funds that are internally generated.
Without mincing words the volume of performance within the spate of time, spent so far by the current Ogun State government, to the credit of Governor Ibikunle Amosun, cannot be compared with the successive governments in Ogun State, since its creation till date.
Olufemi Lawson writes from OPIC Estate, Agbara, Ogun State