OPINION
By Omowale Agbaje
Despite the obvious fact that Otta tops the list of towns in Ogun State that is in dire need of a government-funded/subsidized Housing Estate, the body language of the government of the day strongly suggests that the government is not ready to take care of the Geese that are laying the golden egg.
It is a known fact that Ogun State being the fifth largest economy in Africa is a destination of choice for different categories of investors. Therefore, every administration in the state always strives to embark on different categories of Housing scheme to cater for the ever-growing population of the state.
The Government of Prince Dapo Abiodun came on board with a promise to provide an all-round development in Ogun State.
Part of the developmental objective of the Governor is to provide affordable housing for the people of the state, this came with a proposal to situate Housing Estates in the following seven Local Government Areas of the state: Kemta Idi-Aba 2 Abeokuta (Abeokuta South Local Government), Ijebu Ode (Ijebu Ode Local Government), Otta (Ado-Odo/Otta Local Government), Ilaro (Yewa South Local Government), Sagamu WAPCO (Sagamu Local Government), Kobape (Obafemi-Oowde Local Government) and Iperu (Remo North Local Government).
The proposed housing units in each of these Estates were unequally distributed with Otta having the least number of housing units despite the glaring fact that the town is in dire need of a robust housing scheme due to her nearness to Lagos State.
While construction work has started in all the other six locations, Otta Housing Estate has been abandoned to her fate.
For example, under this current administration, 130 units of houses have been completed in Prince Court Estate, Kemta, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, so also other parts of the state have had their good share of ongoing construction work being aggressively carried out.
Just this week, the foundation laying ceremony for the Ilaro Housing Estate was carried out.
The Otta scenario is very peculiar and in a spectacular state of abandonment. Apart from the clearing of the site and a signboard to indicate the proposed location of the Estate, nothing concrete has been done in Ota.
This trend flows from when Otunba Gbenga Daniel was the Governor of Ogun State and Prince Dapo Abiodun’s government appears not to be interested in developing the said parcel of land located inside Ota G.R.A. From all indications except a miracle happens, the Ota Housing project will become an abandoned project.
Contrary to what the Governor promised at the 2020 World Habitat day wherein he said that his administration will provide a better housing scheme that would not be limited to Abeokuta alone, this appears to be a mere political statement whose author is not ready and willing to push to reality.
Despite the obvious fact that Otta tops the list of towns in Ogun State that is in dire need of a government funded / subsidized Housing Estate, the body language of the government of the day strongly suggests that the government is not ready to take care of the Geese that are laying the golden egg.
We are therefore using this medium to appeal to the Government of Price Dapo Abiodun to match his words with actions and direct the immediate commencement of construction work to begin in Otta before the good people of Ado-Odo/Otta Local Government begin to ascribe the ‘audio project’ tag to the well-intentioned motive of our darling Governor in whom we are well pleased.
*Omowale Agbaje writes from Dalemo, Otta, Ogun State email: agbajeomowale@gmail.com
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