Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State has pledged to prioritise infrastructure development in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, promising to begin work on the Ofada-Owode Road and a new general hospital in Owode.
Adeola also promised to complete and commission the proposed Owode General Hospital before May 29, 2027, when he is expected to be sworn in as governor of Ogun State, while assuring community leaders that other development challenges facing the local government would receive attention.
He made the promises Wednesday during a Community Development practitioners and stakeholders’ meeting with community leaders and other critical stakeholders in Obafemi Owode, where he received a comprehensive document outlining the development needs of communities across the local government.
The senator said the document, presented by the Zonal Chairman of Obafemi Owode Zonal Community Development Committee (OOZCDC), Gboyega Adeleke, had been divided into three categories covering projects requiring immediate attention, medium-term interventions and long-term development needs.
He identified the Ofada-Owode Road and the new Owode General Hospital as among the projects requiring immediate intervention, announcing that construction work on both would commence next week.
Describing the proposed hospital as a three-storey facility, Adeola said contractors and project managers had been mobilised for the project, which he promised would be built to international standards.
He assured the stakeholders that the hospital would be completed and commissioned before May 29, 2027, describing the projects as part of his commitment to addressing the development concerns raised by the communities.
Adeola also pledged to work closely with Community Development Committees (CDCs) and Community Development Associations (CDAs), stressing that grassroots participation would be central to his development plans.
He described Obafemi Owode as a strategically important local government because of its geographical location, size and economic potential, particularly its relevance to the development of border communities and the state’s internally generated revenue.
The senator recalled the support he received from the people during the 2023 elections, when they delivered more than 4,000 votes in his favour, saying he could not afford to neglect a local government that had demonstrated such commitment.
He assured the stakeholders that their support would not be taken for granted, adding that his intention was to build a working partnership with the people.
Speaking on the significance of the meeting, the Zonal Chairman of the Community Development Committee, Gboyega Adeleke, said Adeola deliberately brought community representatives together to engage directly with them rather than relying on intermediaries to communicate his vision and programmes.
Adeleke said the Zonal CDC had mobilised community chairmen and other representatives from across the local government, which he said had more than 2,700 communities, to enable them to interact with the senator and present their concerns.
He explained that the engagement provided an opportunity for the communities to raise questions about insecurity, poor road infrastructure, electricity and inadequate healthcare facilities, among other challenges.
According to him, the CDC had compiled and submitted a document containing the development priorities of communities across the local government, categorising the projects according to those to be undertaken before the election, within two years and within four years.
He listed some of the demands to include road rehabilitation, provision of transformers, completion and takeover of community-built health centres, as well as improvements to access and internal roads.
Adeleke disclosed that Adeola had also promised to complete the other lane of the Mowe-Ofada Road within one month of assuming office.
He said the communities were not expecting the government to shoulder the entire development burden, adding that they were prepared to partner with the incoming administration by undertaking projects they could afford and contributing to development initiatives.
Adeleke described the meeting as an unprecedented opportunity for grassroots representatives to engage directly with a governorship candidate, expressing confidence in Adeola’s commitment to the development of the local government.
He said the community leaders were prepared to work with him and support his electoral ambition, noting that the presence of traditional rulers and other stakeholders reflected the importance they attached to the proposed partnership.
