Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Hon. Afolabi Afuape has assured that more government attention will be given to rural roads, in order to minimise rural-urban migration, as well as improve easy accessibility of agricultural products to the final consumers in the urban areas.
Hon. Afuape stated this while hosting the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) team from Abuja in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
He noted that the present administration is not resting on its oars to improve the lots of the residents, adding that Public-Private Partnership initiative is another means that would reduce Local Government reliance on the Federal Allocation.
The Commissioner noted more infrastructural projects, particularly rural roads, markets and other social amenities would be provided at the grassroots, advising the team to always carry the Ministry along, to make input in the project’s final bill before submission to the State House of Assembly.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Kolawole Fagbohun said the State had been a beneficiary of World Bank projects and aware of the conditions and requirements, saying Local Government should be represented in the decision-making process as it would make them key into the programme.
In his remark, the representative of the National Coordinator of RAAMP, Engr. Abdulazeez Bukar-Gana stated that RAAMP is an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria co-financed by the World Bank, noting that projects executed were domiciled in the council areas to improve accessibility and agricultural markets.
Bukar-Gana added that some of the markets at the grassroots would be attended to, while about 2000km of roads would be visited for development, to create employment and reduce poverty level among rural dwellers.
Contributing, the Consultant to the State/ Coordinator RAAMP, Mr. Maysam Umakhihe attributed the poor condition of rural roads in the country to lack of funding, adding that maintenance of roads requires strong, dedicated, and technical management.
