Special Adviser to the Ogun State governor on media and strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, has asserted that the inter-state rail system is strategic to the development of the Southwest region.
Akinmade spoke on Saturday on the topic: "Regional Integration and Development - The Case of Ogun State" at the Western Post 2024 annual retreat held in Abeokuta, the state capital.
He said that upon Governor Dapo Abiodun's assumption of office in 2019, the governor came up with the idea of speedy development through the concept of a Multi-modal Transportation Management System, which connects the state with others in the region through air, water, rail, and road and also gives access to the rest of the world.
The governor's aide said the South West would be faster as the movement of people and goods is made easier.
"The inter-state rail system that cuts across the states in the Southwest has been efficiently explored by Ogun State for effective regional connectivity. At present, the state has more rail stations than any other states; there are five different stations within the stretch of Lagos and Ibadan alone.
"With an efficient rail system, an indigene of Ado-Ekiti can secure employment in Ogun State, get to the office every day from Ekiti and return at the closing hour around 5pm, and before 7pm, he will be back in Ado-Ekiti.
"That is the type of regional integration we are institutionalising in the State so that individuals in any of the States in the region can freely interact, transact and relax in the State without hindrance," he said.
The special adviser stated that oil exploration would soon commence in the state, putting the region on a more viable economic footing.
He said the Gateway International Agro-Cargo airport would be inaugurated soon, saying it would be the best in the West Africa corridor with the most significant runway and apron.
Akinmade stated that the airport would bring great relief to thousands of manufacturers operating in the State. It would allow them to easily obtain imported materials and transport their finished goods to the rest of the world without facing the traffic snarl in Lagos.
He explained that the airport would serve as a potent regional development tool and means of connectivity among the region's states and with the rest of the world.
"Our government is working on a dry port at Kajola, which will complement the Agro-Cargo Airport in the area of importation and exportation of raw materials and finished goods by manufacturers, and by implication serve as a better alternative to the Lagos Port that is often characterised by heavy congestion," Akinmade said.
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Akinmade further disclosed that the government had constructed over 500km of roads across the State to facilitate mobility and connect other states more effectively. The roads had made regional integration possible, considering Ogun State's strategic location in the region.
"Our administration has invested heavily in agriculture to ensure food security, and just last week, the Governor allocated expansive lands to state lawmakers for aggressive mechanised farming. It may interest you that our state is the country's largest producer of poultry products and cassava in Nigeria.
"Imbued with unwavering commitment to speedy development of the state and the region at large, through his ISEYA mantra, which encompasses infrastructure, social welfare and wellbeing, education, youths empowerment and job creation and lastly agriculture, Prince Dapo Abiodun, upon his assumption of office, strategically came up with the very brilliant idea of speedy development through the concept of Multi-modal Transport Management System, which connects the State with other states in the region through air, water, rail and road and as well gives access to the rest of the world.
"That is the type of regional integration we are institutionalising in the State so that individuals in any of the states in the region can freely interact, transact and relax in the State without hindrance," Akinmade said.
