Olaniyi Ajibola
When the management of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) concluded on the selection of Ogun State because the venue of their maiden week, and as effectively picked the Governor of the Gateway State, Dapo Abiodun because the Patron of the Institute, little did they know that their resolutions had been the most effective in content material and in context.
The President of the Institute, Dr. Ike Neliaku, whereas delivering his speech on the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto- Abeokuta, Ogun State, had knowledgeable the viewers that one of many causes behind the selection of Ogun State for the occasion was being the State of many firsts, starting from civilization to schooling, politics, commerce and trade and lots of extra, apart the truth that the Governor of the State within the final 5 years have offered exemplary management that instantly touched the lives of his individuals.
He eloquently eulogised Abiodun for turning across the fortunes of the state by completely different initiatives, including that the Institute over the previous two weeks has been selling the outstanding achievements of Abiodun-led administration within the State on their web sites, which Neliaku described as a method of placing Ogun State on the worldwide map.
In reality and certainly, Abiodun, by real intention and clear vison to steer his individuals to the specified heights, as envisaged by the founding fathers of the State adopted distinct fashion of governance, in whole departure from the outdated order of deception and political chicanery of the previous administration, which regrettably impoverished the individuals and put the State in reverse gear of growth till Abiodun got here into the saddle in 2019.
Unarguably, Abiodun should have stumbled and thoroughly contemplated on the inspiring postulation of the thirty fifth American President, J.F. Kennedy, who submitted that: “Those that refused to take part within the politics of their atmosphere find yourself being ruled by their inferiors”, therefore his unrelenting and constant efforts in the direction of the gubernatorial seat, amid suffocating and hostile political environment.
This was coincidentally corroborated by one of many contributors on the occasion on Tuesday, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the Director Common of Nationwide Orientation Company, who represented the Minister of Info and Nationwide Orientation. Issa-Onilu, one-time Nationwide Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) recounted how at completely different events he had travelled with Abiodun from Lagos to Abuja in the course of the governorship wrestle in 2019.
“As Publicity Secretary of APC on the time, I’ve had the explanations to journey with His Excellency severally to Abuja in the course of the 2019 governorship election, and every time we travelled, he saved on saying after I get there; after I get there; I advised myself, does this man understands what it takes to be a Governor. At this time, I’m very comfortable that the person has carried out exceptionally effectively, he didn’t disappoint us”.
Such testimonies abound concerning the Prince of Iperu-Remo, the person who has tremendously introduced a deep data of monetary administration and coordination of the personal sector to bear within the administration of the State, as he has continuously described himself because the Chief Marketer of the State.
Within the first occasion, one will surprise how a Chief Government of a State all of the sudden turned a Chief Marketer and of which product specifically? “Ogun State is the Gateway to Nigeria’s prosperity, the industrial capital of Nigeria, and the academic capital of this nation. On assumption of workplace and in appreciation of our aggressive and comparative benefits, we had been very clear about our imaginative and prescient, which is to supply good and qualitative governance while creating an enabling atmosphere for public personal
partnership, which is key to financial development and particular person prosperity of our residents.
“We realised this may solely be achieved by our “Constructing our future” collectively mantra and our ISEYA growth pillar the place I stands for Infrastructure, S for Social Welfare and Wellbeing, E for Schooling and Human Growth, Y for Youth Empowerment and A for Agriculture and Meals Safety; now we have achieved important milestones, masking substantial grounds throughout the state.
“We now have prioritized the availability of the required infrastructure, by implementing our multimodal infrastructure coverage in appreciation of the significance of the necessity to facilitate individuals to reside, work and play in Ogun state with ease and utmost consolation. A few of you both got here by highway or rail and I’m positive your expertise was nothing however nice. That’s attainable as a result of we intentionally closed our eyes on whether or not a highway is a federal highway or state owned.
“To this point, now we have constructed over 500 km of roads. Very quickly, you can be coming right here by air, this week, our airport will likely be authorized for non-scheduled flights, that means that Chatererd flights can file their flight plans and land at our gateway worldwide airport and in one other 2 weeks or much less we’ll obtain formal approval for scheduled business flights. “I used to be sharing on the breakfast with personal sector CEOs earlier that we are going to quickly be establishing the Kajola dry container Port.
I can’t miss a possibility to share with you that within the final 5 years, now we have been very deliberate and intentional about strengthening regulation enforcement and provision of safety by supporting our regulation enforcement structure with funding, logistics and expertise, which has right now earned us the most secure state in Nigeria, as there can’t be socio financial growth within the environment of insecurity.
“We are going to proceed to be proactive in implementing insurance policies and initiatives to extend the rating of Ogun State within the ease of doing enterprise index, we stay the economic capital of Nigeria with over 6000 industries and the buyers vacation spot of alternative, the state with essentially the most improved IGR, being no 3 heading to no 2, and the quickest rising financial system in Nigeria.
“Within the final 5 years, now we have constructed over 4000 inexpensive properties and nonetheless constructing as we goal 10,000 properties by 2027, now we have rebuilt over 1000 colleges and over 100 PHCs. Our dedication to vitality transition and cushioning the consequences of the petrol subsidy removing is clearly evident. We had been the primary state in Nigeria to deploy compressed pure fuel (CNG) fueled buses, which has resulted in decreased transport fares.
“We’re prioritizing ICT & digital financial system and have launched and commenced the 5,000 km fibre optic cable, Ogun Digital Economic system Infrastructure Mission, which can present digital web entry throughout the size and breadth of the state. We’re repositioning our land administration and administration by digitalizing our Certificates of Possession issuance course of. Within the final three months, over 7,000 beneficiaries had been issued our new 1-page double-sided C of Os.
“Our efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, as we bagged the Forbes Better of Africa award in industrial revolution and simply so as to add to our listing of firsts as talked about earlier, allow me so as to add that we’re the schooling capital of Nigeria the no 1 in cassava manufacturing, no 1 within the manufacturing of poultry, no 1 in non-oil income and naturally the non secular capital of Nigeria”, Ogun Chief Marketer unambiguously submitted on the NIPR’s maiden week.
Apart these indelible and implausible accomplishments of his administration, maybe, the best creativity the Governor has displayed was the style he had revived the hitherto dying ADIRE market in Abeokuta, the normal tie and dye enterprise of the aboriginal Egba individuals.
On the time Abiodun resumed as Governor of Ogun State and in his painstaking investigation on how the microeconomic layer of the State may very well be strengthened to stimulate prosperity among the many native populace, findings revealed that the inflow of imported ADIRE materials from China, with low high quality however decrease costs have adversely affected the primordial ADIRE market, driving merchants in droves out of the enterprise.
As delicate and proactive State Government that he’s, Governor Abiodun instantly moved into motion and formulated a coverage the place each worker of presidency should at the least placed on the ADIRE apparel as soon as in per week with strict directive to purchase solely the native merchandise.
Surprisingly, the ADIRE market instantly got here again to life, because the coverage injected a whopping 70,000 new clients into the enterprise, elevating demand increased than even the current amount of provide, with resultant increase for the merchants.
Clearly, accountable and responsive management goes past rhetorics and propaganda, it’s evidently what Prince Dapo Abiodun is doing within the Gateway State. All hail the Chief Marketer of Ogun State, Omooba Dapo Abiodun.
Olaniyi Ajibola, SSA on Strategic Communications to Governor Dapo Abiodun writes from Abeokuta.