Governor’s ‘Eye Service’: Daniel Repairs Roads As Jonathan Visits

As President Goodluck Jonathan embarks on a two-day working visit to Ogun State tomorrow, Governor Gbenga Daniel has started fixing some roads long neglected across the state to impress his visitor.

Checks by P.M.NEWS confirmed that some roads in areas the President will visit are now being rehabilitated day and night. The repairs started about three weeks ago.

The state government had earlier blamed lack of funds for its inability  to repair the roads. But it was gathered that President Jonathan’s visit was the main reason the Ogun State Road Maintenance Agency, OGROMA, has embarked on the fire brigade approach.

The four major towns where the President is scheduled to visit or commission projects are: Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Abeokuta and Igbesa. Roads rehabilitated in Abeokuta include: Kobape-siun, IBB Boulevard, Quarry, Isale/Oke Igbein roads.

Also, posters and banners of politicians that flooded Ijebu-Ode have been removed in preparation for the president’s visit.

Roads like Olabisi Onabanjo Way, Lagos Motor Park area, Itori and Oba S.K. Adetona Market Way are wearing new look.

Major roads in Sagamu and Igbesa are also being fixed. The Ikenne-Sagamu road leading to the new stadium to be commissioned by Jonathan is also receiving urgent attention.

Meanwhile, roads like Elite, Adatan, Lantoro, Itoko, Saje, Obantoko, and Abass Streets all in Abeokuta, Molipa expressway, Sango-Dalemo and its environs, Ijoko road all the way to Agbado-Crossing, Giwa Oke-Aro and Ondo road, among others in Ijebu-Ode which are in deplorable condition were avoided because the president will not visit these areas.

While in the Gateway State, the president will commission an event centre in Isheri, Western Publishing Company Limited, publishers of Nigerian Compass, WEMCO factory and a radio station, Rainbow FM said to be owned by  the state governor.

Jonathan is also expected to inspect a Cocoa processing plant along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, commission Obafemi Awolowo road, Ikenne. He will later pay a courtesy visit to the Awolowo family and have a discussion with Chief Mrs. HID Awolowo.

The president will in Ijebu-Ode commission Ijebu-Ode water scheme and stop over at Gateway International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode and Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas for inspection.

He will also inspect the Jonathan Presidential Campaign Office for the South West in Sagamu, and commission the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Permanent Orientation Camp and Gateway International Stadium both in Sagamu. A civic reception will also hold for him in Sagamu.

He is expected to leave for Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital where he will have a breakfast with former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at his Hilltop residence. Later at June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, he will hold a village square meeting with traditional rulers and other notable personalities in the state.

Jonathan will later in the day commission the Phase I of the state secretariat complex and Owiwi Dam Water Scheme off Lagos-Abeokuta. He will inspect projects in Abeokuta and Igbesa before departing to Abuja.

All the 20 local government chairmen in Ogun State have literally shifted their offices to Sagamu to ensure a befitting reception for the President. A top official of one of the councils told P.M.NEWS that the state government has ordered for Adire attire for the president’s visit.

According to the official, “the Adire attire was designed with President Jonathan and OGD pictures emblazoned on them. 2,000 pieces were given to each local government council. All these are geared towards welcoming Mr. President in a big way.”

Some political observers are of the view that the president’s visit may end the face-off between the executive and legislative arms of government in the state.

The embattled Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Pastor Remmy Hassan in a text message to our correspondent said, “No move for a reconciliation by anyone, at least to the knowledge of G15 legislators, nothing has changed as Egbetokun remains the speaker.”

Dr. Tokunbo Oshin corroborated Hassan’s view. He maintained that if the G15 lawmakers are properly invited, they will honour the visit of the president.

Oshin, who represents Ijebu Igbo Constituency 1 said: “if we are properly invited, we will attend. If Egbetokun is invited as speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, the G15 legislators will be there to welcome the President. Anything different from this, we will stay away.”

Reacting to a question on whether there was any move for reconciliation, Oshin said: “as far as we are concerned, the only reconciliation understood by us and other law abiding citizens is that no illegality should be entrenched. The legally constituted House should be allowed to perform its statutory functions. We believe Mr. President will do justice to that.”

A cross-section of the people who spoke with P.M.NEWS on the president’s visit condemned it. They described the visit as a jamboree.

According to a traditional ruler from Ijebu area who pleaded anonymity, “which water are they commissioning in Ijebu-Ode? It is a white elephant project. Where are the pipes and taps? Whoever cares to listen should hear that OGD is only deceiving us in this state. We have had enough of his deceit. He’s doing it to win the president’s heart. But he is a failure. Of all the projects listed for commissioning, which one will solve the problems of the people of the state?”

A senior official of Ikenne Local Government area of the state told P.M.NEWS: “They have money to do these preparations? Where did they get the money? Has the bond been subscribed to? It was the same state government that said the refusal of the lawmakers to approve the bond was crippling development in the state.

“He refused to pay us the teachers, doctors, but he can get millions of naira to host the president. He will be there with his people to receive Jonathan. I have no business with them.”

A lecturer with Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED, Ijogun who will not want his name mentioned urged the people to ignore the visit and go about their normal business.

“We the people give them power. If all of us can sit at home and leave OGD, his chairmen to go there with their families then Mr. President will know that things are not going down well with the people of Ogun State.

“I learnt they will commission a water scheme in Ijebu-Ode. That’s a lie. Where is the water? All the laps in Ijebu-Ode are dry. They are now patching roads because the president is on a visit. See this our road, OGD spoilt it when he said he wanted to dualise Ondo road during the Under-17 World Cup hosted in Ijebu-Ode. Can you now see what the road has turned to?

“Eid-el-Kabir festival is around the corner. Government has not paid us our salaries. But it could get money to buy Adire. God will punish them. The visit was for 5 and 6 November, 2010 but was postponed.”

As at the time of going to press, security details from the Presidency had arrived Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu to prepare for Jonathan’s visit.

Reacting to insinuations that Governor Daniel was mending the roads because President Goodluck Jonathan is visiting the state tomorrow, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Adebanjo Adegbenro described the insinuation as wicked and unfair.

According to him, OGROMA was established in 2003 and it has been repairing and constructing roads in the state.

“It is not fair to the governor; it is not fair to posterity and the people to insinuate that Governor Daniel was repairing the roads because President Jonathan is visiting the state.

“Road maintenance and construction in Ogun State under Otunba Daniel is systemic. What we are doing is not window dressing. We have been repairing roads and we will continue to do so, irrespective of what the detractors are saying.

“It is sad that people read a lot of meanings into what we are doing. People read politics into everything. We should stop playing politics with everything. These critics are not fair to Governor Daniel,” he declared.

—Biodun Onafuye/ Ijebu-Ode

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