Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission - A Right Step for Ogun State's Road Transportation Development

 

  

On Monday 24th May, 2021 Lagos and Ogun states signed an agreement to set up a joint development commission. The commission, according to the two governors is a common alliance between the two states to jointly tackle issues bordering on security, sanitation, traffic and transportation, waste management, water supply, land use planning, infrastructure development and maintenance, urban renewal, and slum upgrading, among others. Speaking at the signing ceremony, which took place at the Presidential Lodge, Ibara Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, the host Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said, the commission was a manifestation of the desire of the two states to attain rapid socioeconomic development and address the lingering boundary issues between both states.

  

“We are driven to stimulate a socioeconomic growth to bridge the development gap and to ensure that while Lagos State remains a megacity, Ogun State can indeed help to transform that and create another megacity in our region,” Governor of Lagos State Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu said during the event.

MY TAKE

There is no doubt that this fantastic initiative is long overdue. Lagos State is a mega city with a population of over 20 million people and a land size of 3,577 km² which is just 0.4% of the entire land mass of the country and yet generates 32.1% of the entire Internally Generated Revenue of the Country. On the other hand, Ogun State has 16,980.55 km² and a population of 3,751,140 according to the 2006 census. It is clear that Ogun State has the land.

These statistics also shows clearly clearing that the Joint Development partnership is a solution towards the arrays of challenges faced by the two twin states. Ogun State can feed Lagos State and Lagos State can help jointly fix infrastructures along the border areas between Ogun and Lagos most especially road transportation infrastructure.

For those who are familiar with the road conditions in the border areas of Ogun/Lagos State you will agree that the linking roads are in a terrible state! I understand that the present government of Ogun State have signed some partnership agreements to get some of the major roads fixed but then there is still a lot of linking roads that needs to be fixed. An example is the construction of the 3.94km Ray Power/Ikola/Osi-Ota Road which is a strategic linking road between Ogun and Lagos State which was commissioned by the state governor on the May 26th, 2021.

However there is a need for the government to sign as many versions of Public Private Partnerships with individuals, companies and organizations to get these roads fixed, maintained and “greened” after all the essence of collecting taxes from the citizens/companies is to make their lives worth living and to ease the condition of doing business which in return will improve the Internally Generated Revenue of the states.

Also I will suggest that the Phase two of the Bus Rapid Transit Infrastructural project along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway that was to commerce between Abule Egba (Lagos State) to Sango-Ota toll gate should be extended to Ifo (Ogun State) due to the huge number of people living along that corridor and yet work in Lagos State. If this is done, I believe it will open up that area(s) for more economic transformation and infrastructural renewal.

The Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission is a classic example of the output a people gets when they elect technocrats into government.

Thank you for your time as usual.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/05/ogun-lagos-sign-mou-to-establish-lagos-ogun-joint-development-commission/