Gov. Abiodun
Ogun State Government has assured residents of communities along the Ijebu-Ode–Mojoda Tollgate axis of opening alternative routes to enhance their economic activities and general well-being.
The Chief Economic Adviser and Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Dapo Okubadejo, disclosed this while chairing a stakeholders’ meeting on tollgate development plan on the road in Ijebu-Ode, assuring that alternative routes would serve local communities in and around Isiwo, Itamapako, Oke-Ako and environs and the toll bypass would be upgraded for ease of mobility.
He noted that the rehabilitated roads would reduce travel time through the tollgate and ease the cost burden on local commuters.
Okubadejo affirmed that the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun had granted waivers to motorcycle and tricycle users and operators plying the Ijebu-Ode–Mojoda corridor, in fulfillment of the campaign, promises to cushion the effects of economic hardship in the State.
He appealed to stakeholders to continue to support government’s commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy, through regular engagement on infrastructure development and policy implementation.
Speaking, Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Olugbenga Dairo, highlighted the economic importance of the road for its maintenance and preservation, noting that, the construction would boosted commercial activities along the corridor.
In his remark, Director-General of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Office, Mr. Dapo Oduwole, reiterated the government’s commitment to the road project, saying it had played a significant role in repositioning the State as an industrial hub and unlocking economic benefits for local communities.
He noted that the road construction was a Public-Private Partnership, therefore, the partners need to recoup their investment through tolling, as the government could not have single-handedly reconstructed it.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional institutions, Aladeken of Oke-Ako, Oba Joshua Osunsami, commended the State Government for the road construction, describing it as a major relief for the affected communities.
He appealed to the government to review the toll fees at the Ijebu-Ode–Mojoda gate and consider opening turning points for certain communities before the toll plaza, to mitigate the impact of the prevailing economic challenges.
Other Dignities at the meeting were, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, AIG Olusola Subair, Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Tpl. Tunji Odulami, Chairman, Odogbolu Local Government, Dr. Oyetola Diya, Permanent Secretaries in the Ministries of Transportation, Works and Finance, respectively Mrs. Ronke Tokunbo-Peters, Engr. Lateef Yusuf and Mr. Adesina Towolawi, among others.
