Being the Remarks by His Excellency Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, at the Commissioning of the Junction Improvements at Agodi-Gate, Civic Centre and Idi Ape, Ibadan on Friday, 22 March 2024.
As usual on occasions like this, I want to begin by thanking my brother, His Excellency, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo for accepting our handshake and coming from across the Niger to join us to celebrate this happy occasion.
As you have already seen from the available visuals, we are commissioning these three junction improvements at Agodi-Gate, Civic Centre and Idi Ape. Some people might say, oh that is a small project, why is he commissioning it. Well, oni reason.
These junction improvements are important projects that reduce the man hours spent in traffic in Ibadan. More importantly, by completing and commissioning these projects, we are making a clear statement. Those of you who have lived in Ibadan would have been aware of the chaos that this place used to be. With these projects we are bringing sanity to this axis. So, this project is significant in our quest to implement another component in our Oyo State Roadmap for Sustainable Development 2023-2027, that is, the Rule of Law.
We can see how beautiful this environment is now. Our plan is to keep it that way. Street trading and illegal dumping of refuse at road medians are two uncivil acts that we must do away with as citizens. I have given directives that anyone caught carrying out such activities in these areas should face the full wrath of the law. We have even placed a billboard by Gate so that no one will claim that they are ignorant of the law.
In the next few weeks, we will be hosting both local and international investors to a tourism summit. We cannot decouple tourism promotion from a clean and safe environment where the rule of law is observed. So, as we celebrate this accomplishment and also pledge to do more for our people, it is our belief that you, the good people of Oyo State, will reciprocate by owning these projects and protecting them from unnecessary wear and tear.
Before I yield the podium to my brother His Excellency Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, let me thank the contractors, Planet Projects for working day and night to ensure this project is delivered in a timely manner.
And on this note, I will call on His Excellency to deliver his remarks before we proceed with the commissioning of the junction improvements at Agodi-Gate, Civic Centre and Idi Ape to the glory of God and for the benefit of the good people of Oyo State. Right after cutting the tape here, we will head off to the 32.2 km East Wing of the Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road where we will be flagging off the road infrastructure component of that project.
Thank you and God bless you.
Seyi Makinde
22 March 2024