Ogun kicks off mass installation of street lights with ‘Let there be light’ project

Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta

Determined to prevent road crashes, especially at night and incidents of armed robbery, Ogun State government has embarked on ‘Let there be Light’ project aimed at installing and activating street lights in major towns across the state.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, who made this known at a test run of the project on the 42km Sagamu Interchange-Siun-Abeokuta express road, at the weekend, said that the project would see the major towns and cities of the state lighted up with street lights.

He noted that the project would prevent accidents and discourage robbery incidents, among other benefits.

Abiodun declared that his government would not relent on delivering dividends of democracy to the people, stressing that “replica of what now obtains along the Sagamu-Siun-Abeokuta expressway would be seen all over the state.”

Speaking earlier after inspecting the 526 housing units at Kobape, the governor said that construction of housing projects across the state is part of his administration’s economic sustainability plan to create jobs opportunities for artisans and open up the economy of the State.

He stated that Kobape Housing Scheme is a deliberate urban renewal strategy aimed at stemming rural-urban migration.

“We are going round to see our legacy projects that define our administration. This housing project has turned Kobape from a rural area to a township. The housing project is part of our urban renewal strategy to attract people from the cities back to the hinterland.

“This project is one of the many we have done in places such as Idi-Aba in Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Ilaro and Ota. So far we have done about 1,000 housing units for both low and middle income earners. It is a commitment to our vision to cater for all categories of people in our state. This project will be inaugurated along with others like the Epe-Ijebu-Ode, Abeokuta-Sagamu roads,” Abiodun said.

The governor disclosed that the housing project was done through direct labour to ensure that youths in the area were engaged, adding that the project has changed the landscape and the commercial activities of Kobape town.

On the renovation of the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Abiodun said “such a monument which offers space for official functions should not be allowed to deteriorate.”

“Our administration is particular about promoting our culture and June 12 Cultural Centre is part of it. The state of the Centre left much to be desired and we had to do something urgently about it as it offers us a place for many functions of government. It has a museum, cinema, spacious halls and other facilities. We have renovated it and it is now a place to behold,” he added.

The governor further pointed out that his administration has done so much in promoting the Adire fabrics and its value chain to create jobs opportunities, also said the creation of Adire Portal was to enable people buy the fabric anywhere in the world.