Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Ogun Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has declared a state of emergency on flood ravaged Isheri on the border with Lagos State and other affected areas of the state.
Abiodun also revealed that the Isheri flood challenge was beyond the state, adding that it required huge amount of money to solve the perennial environmental challenge.
However, he expressed delight over the plan of the African Finance Corporation (AFC) to partner with his administration to reconstruct a vital industrial road, Atan-Lusada-Agbara in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area and Epe-Ijebu-Ode road.
The governor, disclosed this, yesterday , when he hosted a four-man team from the AFC led by a Senior Director, Taiwo Adeniji, in his Oke-Mosan Office, Abeokuta.
He also lamented that the deplorable state of the Atan-Lusada-Agbara road, which hosts over 70 industries manufacturing various consumer goods being distributed across the country “is worse than a nightmare whenever it rains.
“I stopped by at Isheri where we have lots of estates and the state of road infrastructure is deplorable. Currently, the place is totally flooded and the entire estates have been submerged. I told the flood victims that this place requires us to declare a state of emergency and we are actually going to do that because the problem is beyond the state.
“Our government had since realised that the biggest issue for the people of the state was the state of infrastructures, especially the state ecology and bad road network.
“The area is mixed with industries and residential estates. There is a lot of development going on there and people have abandoned their houses; beautiful houses. This is because the roads are none existent, there are no drainages, houses are built on flood plains, so we need help,” Abiodun pleaded.
He reiterated that Ogun has serious infrastructural challenges, adding, “the task now is how to provide water, electricity, good roads and other amenities to those who choose to live and invest in the state.”
The governor, however, commended the financial institution for showing interest in partnering with Ogun to address its infrastructural deficits, stressing he was happy with choices of roads the Corporation indicated interest in.
“I am happy you have mentioned a particular Agbara, it is the biggest industrial hub in the country and the state of road in the area is totally unbelievably terrible! It is bad and I am glad the road is of interest to you. We have received a number of proposals on that road but this is a credible offer coming from the African Finance Corporation (AFC),” he stated.
Leader of AFC team, Adeniji, explained that the corporation in partnership with the private sector had focused more on roads, power, telecommunication and heavy industry projects.