December 12, (THEWILL) – The Ogun state government has begun mass installation and activation of street lights in major towns across the state as part of efforts to prevent road crashes and armed robbery operations at night.
Governor Dapo Abiodun made this known at the weekend at a test run of the project on the 42km Sagamu Interchange-Siun-Abeokuta expressway.
Abiodun said his government decided to embark on the ‘Let there be Light’ project to lighten up major cities in the state to discourage robbery incidents, among other crimes.
The governor also discussed the 526 housing units at Kobape. He said the project would create job opportunities for artisans and open up the state’s economy.
He stated that the Kobape Housing Scheme is a deliberate urban renewal strategy aimed at stemming rural-urban migration, stressing that it is one of the many done by his adminstration in areas such as Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Ilaro and Ota.
“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,” he added.
Abiodun divulged 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.
He also spoke on the renovation of the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, stressing that he would not allow the building 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.”
