IN readiness to jump-start construction of another model road project, the Ogun State Government has picked a Brazilian building and civil engineering firm, Messrs Prado E. Meedo, to deliver 32 Kilometres Sango-Ijoko-Agbado-Oke-Aro-Akute-Ojodu Abiodun road project under a public-private partnership arrangement.The road project lies in between two local government areas- Ado-Odo/Ota and Ifo, on which underground work has commenced.Ogun State Governor, Mr. Ibikunle Amosu revealed that work would soon commence on the road and others, while commissioning a six-lane Ibara/Ita-Eko/Sokori/Toroto road construction project in Abeokuta recently.Investigations by The Guardian revealed that some of the properties, which had encroached into the right-of-way, would be pulled down. Indeed, scores of these properties have been marked. While some of them would totally give way for the project, others will have their fences demolished.From Sango roundabout to Ijoko, The Guardian observed demolition marks on many of the buildings on both sides of the road.A source also hinted that the state had contracted some estate surveying firms to undertake survey of the properties to be affected by the road project and work out possible compensation.Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Yussuf Olaniyonu, who could not confirm the worth of the project as at press time, said it was under public private partnership (PPP) arrangement. 'You know it is contractor financing arrangement. So, we are not paying immediately. It is one of our PPP arrangements.'The newly commissioned N1.3 billion six-lane Ibara-Ita Eko-Sokori-Totoro Road, was embarked upon in August 2011, barely two months after the present administration assumed office. The once single carriageway that spanned 2.4 kilometres, is now a dual carriageway, which government officials are referring to as 'Ogun Standard'.Other road project that their contract would be awarded include the 5.6 kilometres Somorin-Ajebo Road, 20 kilometres Obalende- Lagos Garage-Oke Owa-Ilese road in Ijebu-Ode, 60km Ilara- Ijoun- Eggua- Oja- Odan Road and seven kilometres Sagamu- Benin Expressway junction-Remo Secondary School roundabout-Isale Oko-Akarigbo Road, which officials said would be awarded any moment.Announcing the award of the contracts at the commissioning of the 2.4 kilometres six-lane Ibara-Ita-Eko-Sokori-Totoro Road recently, the Ogun State Governor, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun promised that 10 of such roads would be constructed in different parts of the state within the next one year.According to Amosun, urban renewal programme of his administration was hinged on road construction/ rehabilitation, noting that provision of this vital infrastructure was sine-qua-non to the development of the state.He noted: 'Road construction/rehabilitation was an integral part of this administration's urban renewal programme, believing that it would open up, not only the Abeokuta metropolis to commercial and industrial development, but also to provide easy access to the other parts of the state and engender total development.'The governor noted that newly commissioned road was a model of the type of roads that would dot the nooks and crannies of the state in the coming months, saying, 'this is what we now refer to as the 'Ogun Standard'.'Going memory lane, Amosun said that upon assumption of office a year ago, he had as a mission to rebuild the state, especially, by engaging in the provision and upgrading of infrastructure, adding that those inherited by his predecessors were decayed with most of the roads not motorable. He assured that road construction and other infrastructural development being embarked upon by the government was in accordance with international standard.'We are setting a new standard, because we believe that for any society to attain a metropolitan status, there is need for urbanisation in accordance with certain procedure which can meet up with the internationally acceptable standard,' he stated.The road was designed to have the following features, opened and covered drainage as necessary in certain places because of the peculiarity of the location, walkway for pedestrians and space for planting of trees and flowers, essentially to enhance the beauty of the environment, among others.
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