My fellow citizens of Ogun State,
Come 2011, we shall have a fresh opportunity to get yet another executive governor of our dear state. I strongly believe this governor should be one who has come only to ensure a rapid transformation of our state which must acquire an enviable reputation as a direct consequence of its people oriented programmes. Ogun State must not only lead the way for others to follow in all aspects of development, but must also embrace constitutional democracy and the rule of law with resolute faith and consistency.
To this end, l, Adele Oba Wasiu Kolawole Lawal present and rededicate myself to the cause of economic transformation of Ogun state through even development of the component parts in line with above belief.
B efore l go further, I want to respectfully salute our distinguished governor, Otunba Justus Olugbenga Daniel (OGD) ‘Ogidi Omo' whose exemplary character, courage and dedication to the cause of humanity have given us such an illustrious legacy. His tenacity of purpose, passion for democratic ideals and indomitable spirit all give us a rich source from which to draw strength and inspiration.
My fellow citizens, in seeking to meet your aspirations within the shortest possible period, our administration if voted into power will pay particular attention to the core areas of:
Education And The Development of Quality
Human Capital
For us, education is another critical instrument in the battle against poverty. it empowers the individual with the necessary knowledge and set of skills to actualize potential and maximize opportunities in life. Our Government will launch a Children's First Agenda that provide care learning and support for families with children from birth up to five years old.
We will sustain the provision of free education in all public primary and secondary schools in the state so that no child will be denied the opportunity simply because of a disadvantaged background. We recognize that we cannot fight poverty unless we give people jobs and people who have no skills cannot be employed; hence the critical importance of education.
Our administration will equally continuing the aggressive rehabilitation of public schools throughout the length and breadth of Ogun state with the target of building new classrooms adequate enough to sustain students population over the next four years
In addition to the programmed massive construction of new classrooms, structures in secondary and primary schools will be earmarked for rehabilitation.
We will do everything to continuously improve on the quality of instructors and facilities in all public schools in Ogun state. In this respect, our administration will embark on a massive programme of training and re-training of teachers who are critical stakeholders in the education sector. This Government will improve teacher compensation by rewarding expert, accomplished teachers for taking any challenging assignments and helping teachers succeed.
Our own future certainly depends on the amount of skills and education that we give to the generation behind us. They will need the knowledge to run the civil service and pay our pensions as well as maintain the roads and other infrastructure that we build. In providing qualitative education for the generation behind us, we also secure our own future.
Job Creation And Support For Private Enterprise
Our Government believes we need to double State resources for basic research and make the research and development tax credit permanent to help create high-paying secure job. Our Government will strengthen the present micro finance arm of the Government to extend its credit facilities to small scale business and farmers. We shall provide free training to intended business men and associates.
Moreover the state Government will absorb reasonable number of our Graduates into the civil service scheme yearly. Our Government will create a micro-finance initiative which will equally have a dramatic impact on reducing the incidence of poverty in our society. a seed sum of about N500 million will be provided as the take off of the fund, which will provide credit at minimal interest rate to enable indigent persons establish small scale enterprises. To ensure its sustainability, our target is to raise the capital base of the scheme to N5 billion.
The micro-finance initiative will provide an opportunity for thousands of those who graduate from our empowerment and skills acquisition centers to make profitable use of their expertise on a more comprehensive and sustainable basis.
Infrastructural Development
a. The other critical issue I must touch on is that of power supply. It has become imperative to urgently re-activate the power infrastructure of Ogun state as a necessary condition for rapid economic transformation.
We are all aware that the availability of sufficient, sustainable, good quality electricity is a fundamental pre-requisite for the socio-economic development of our state and the concomitant improvement in the lives of our citizens. Therefore, our administration will make the development of power infrastructure through private public partnerships a priority both in the short and long terms. We already discussed with some partners in North America to provide Solar powered energy to every nook and corner of the state.
Poor power supply remains a major hindrance to adequate supply of potable water in the state. The state water corporation will, therefore be empowered to construct a 12.5mw independent power plants in strategic locations in the state. New mini waterworks will also be provided.
LONG TERM GOALS
- Creation of new power generation plants within the Ogun state area
- Reinforcing and expanding the transmission network on the Ogun state territory
- Reinforcing and expanding the existing distribution networks in the whole of Ogun state
- Reducing the need for environmentally unfriendly and costly individual power generators
- Introducing social tariffs for the low income electricity consumers in Ogun state.
- Promoting the use of solar power and other alternative power supply for a number of specific electricity consumptions.
- Developing small hydro-power plants in conjunction with agricultural irrigation
- Analyzing the possible synergies between pro-active treatment and power generation.
- SHORT TERM GOALS
- Improving the power distribution network through immediate purchase of transformers by the state government;
- Adding to power generation capacity by encouraging and facilitating investment in solar power development.
- Our government will be committed to successfully implementing this new energy plan through appropriate partnerships with Nigerian and international professional partners from the electric power sector through private/public partnership initiatives.
b. We believe that the quality of its markets is an indicator of the degree of decency and development of a society. Our administration will therefore be committed to upgrading existing markets and building new ones to stimulate higher commercial activity and wealth creation.
c. Moreover the state Government will continue to assist Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in the area of provision of transformers and other electrical equipment to boost power outage and rural electrification in our state.
d. Housing
The challenges posed by housing are not as serious as we have in mega cities. However, we shall institute the state mortgage scheme, to provide affordable houses for low and medium income earners. To us, this is one of the most revolutionary and potent weapons fashioned against poverty in this political dispensation. Under the scheme, we will partner with banks to inject the necessary funds to enable our people pay to own their homes over a 25-year period at affordable interest rate.The basic requirement for qualification is the proof of a job and a steady stream of income satisfactory to the banks, whether you are in the public or private sector. The mortgage scheme has the potential to raise millions of poor people out of the extreme poverty bracket by transforming them from tenants to landlords in a most convenient fashion. I am genuinely excited at the enormous multiplier effect which the mortgage scheme will have on several other sectors of the economy. It will boost the construction industry through increased demand for more houses by those financially empowered through the scheme.
It will stimulate demand for building construction materials, household equipment and furniture; electrical appliances; plumbing equipment and textiles for bed sheets, pillow cases, curtains, carpets and rugs among others.
It will even create a larger market for paintings, sculptures, carvings and other forms of house hold decorative art works thereby enlarging the economic opportunities of those with the necessary artistic skills. It will create new job opportunities for lawyers, insurance experts, estate valuers and architects among several other professionals. The possibilities of the scheme to stimulate the economy and boost prosperity are practically limitless. Much more importantly, it will help us to begin to create a large pool of decent and affordable houses and facilitate faster elimination slums from our landscape. On our part, we recognize that this mortgage scheme will deepen the demand curve for houses and we are responding to the supply imperatives through various methods. These include partnership with private property companies and direct construction by government to build new houses in different parts of the state.
e. Traffic Control
Our administration will recruit and train men and women to strengthen the capacity of the state traffic management authority to enforce traffic discipline. To further enhance effective traffic monitoring and control by relevant agency, we procure high capacity motorbikes and their requisite accessories.
We will establish special traffic mayors to complement existing agency and encourage community involvement in traffic control and management.
Our administration will further elevate the already very high standard of motor vehicle administration processes in the state through the introduction of automated hackney permit and automated vehicle insurance. The result will be even greater transparency and efficiency in obtaining these critical documents, elimination of touting and faking, higher safety standards of vehicles and improved revenue generating capacity for Ogun state.
f. Waste Management
Our administration will continue to enhance the capacity of the state waste management authority to efficiently manage the process of waste collection, transportation and disposal in the state. We will introduce dino bins across the state to facilitate better environmental cleanliness and procured additional vehicles to strengthen the capacity of the ministry of the environment for more effective monitoring of the environment.
The sanitation unit of the Ministry of Environment will be strengthened for effective cleaning and maintenance of routes and major highways in the state. In the same vein, we will put in place an environmental advocacy program for schools. Under this program, the ministry of the environment will provide toilets, beautification projects and waste management projects in various schools in the state. Besides, we will rehabilitate existing dump sites , establish additional mechanized land and engage in the waste- to- wealth refuse conversion plants. We will also construct transfer loading stations and import new refuse compactor trucks.
g. Flood Control
The scourge of incessant flooding is another serious environmental challenge we have to cope with in Ogun state. Though the phenomenon of flooding is only a natural unavoidable but the problem has been significantly compounded by widespread acts of indiscipline including dropping of refuse into canals or construction of illegal structures across drainage channels.
We shall embark on dredging and clearance of existing drainage channels as well as the construction of new ones in the most flood-prone parts of the state.
We shall continue to aggressively expand and maintain our drainage network to effectively check the destructive experience of flooding. But then, a lot depends on the sanitary habits of our people and the vigilance of the communities through which the canals and drainage channels are located. The dumping of food stuff and pure water sachets and tyres and even the carcasses of vehicles in canals and drains must stop in our own interest. We shall launch a massive campaign for active community involvement across the state in the clearance of all water flow channels so that the onset of rains no longer take us by surprise. As human beings, we are unique in having the capacity for reasoning, analytical thought and proactive initiative. We must no longer allow a non-reasoning; non-living phenomenon like flooding to out -maneuver and render us helpless.
Public Transportation
Road transportation accounts for more than 90% of domestic passengers. On our part, we will introduce a transport policy that will make life easier for indigenes. Let us note, however, that it is one thing to have good transport policy, build quality roads and other facilities of the highest standard for efficient public transportation, but it is another thing entirely for such facilities to be used in a safe, disciplined and lawful manner that promotes the collective good of the society. The best roads in the world or the most attractive and impressive vehicles become a veritable weapon of mass destruction if the human beings who make use of them have no respect for traffic rules and regulations. There will be a robust traffic law that will guarantee safe and easy transportation for our people.
This administration will run a mass transit program across that will go to all state capitals. A limited liability company with adequate structure in place will be incorporated to command this arrangement.
Crime Fighting and Justice Delivery
We are proud to say that the crime rate in the state remains one of the lowest in the country because our people are law abiding citizens and, most of them are actively engaged. However, our administration will have zero tolerance for crime. Our primary duty as a government will be to ensure security of lives and property for all residents and the due enforcement of the laws of Ogun state and Nigeria
In this regard, we shall continue to cooperate with the Nigeria police and assist the state command with necessary logistics and finance to enable them function effectively. To complement these efforts, we shall set up and strengthen other paramilitary institutions for the monitoring and enforcement of specific rules and regulations. We shall also assist Nigeria customs and immigrations to fight crime in our various gateways to the nation.
We realise that it is vanity to advocate law and order in the absence of effective law enforcement and a transparent justice system. Indeed, the sustenance of democracy and progressive societal development depends squarely on a fair and unencumbered access to justice. Towards this end, we will improve on training and welfare programmes for judicial personnel, provision of modern courtroom facilities and considerable improvement of the procedural rules. Our expectation is that this will bring about a faster and fairer justice delivery to Ogun State .
W e shall work with the honourable Chief judge and other members of the state judiciary towards the further elevation of standards of justice delivery in Ogun State .
Healthcare and the Environment
The critical importance of the health sector in any serious effort to alleviate poverty and promote the general well being of the populace cannot be overemphasized. This is because human beings must first of all be alive and well before they can pursue other economic, social, political, intellectual or recreational activity. We must in this regard commend the efforts of the immediate past administration in bequeathing to Ogun state a qualitative public health system that has earned the commendation from far and near.
We will raise the bar even higher and establish Ogun as Africa 's prime medical tourism destination. We will put in place a health care delivery system that compares with the most advanced countries of the world,
Our vision in the health sector is tied to excellence and in line with the millennium development goals of the United Nations. These goals focus on the health of our children and mothers as they have been the worst hit victims of our poverty and underdevelopment. It is for this reason i directed our ministry of health to come up with a unique home grown concept that would address this problem and reduce the infant and maternal mortality rates drastically.
Integrated maternal and child care centre will be built in strategic areas across the state. These include Abeokuta , Ota, Sagamu, Ijebu Ode, Ilaro etc.
Each of these centres will have clinics for mothers, their babies and children, with emergency services; a labour ward with delivery room; a theatre for doing caesarian section in complicated deliveries; wards for mothers who suffer complications before delivery; additional wards for mothers with their babies after delivery; a full fledged ward for babies and children and a neonatal unit for premature babies. This unique design will be the first of its kind in our country and has been recognized by the federal ministry of health as a novel idea. As usual we are setting the pace for others to follow. We will spread these maternal and child care centers round more local government areas in subsequent years.
A very strong component of our progamme is the provision of training for all cadres of health workers. We will invite and engage expert trainers from around the world to train our staff.
Our primary responsibility is in the provision of secondary health care through our general hospitals. Our vision is not driven by the infrastructure but by the real impact on our citizens. This will only come through the focused and continued development of our personnel. This is why it has been a continuous priority of the previous and now our government to develop the capacity of our healthcare workers and students through training and their institutions of learning. Medicine, any doctor will tell you, is taught at the patient's bedside and therefore the importance of our teaching hospital can not be over-emphasized. We will ensure that Ogun state meets the accreditation requirements of the national medical and dental council and turns out the best trained doctors in the country.
We are seriously concerned about the high and increasing prevalence of cancer in Nigeria causing great suffering to thousands of cancer patients. One in every 5 adults above the age of 50years will develop a form of cancer in our generation. There are very few treatment centers with obsolete equipment, depleted cobalt sources and few poorly trained staff. This is further compounded by the fact that treatment centre's are very expensive to set up with negligible private sector capability to provide such services. Therefore, there is a need to develop local capacity to treat cancer.
Our administration owes it as a social responsibility to the people of Ogun state to alleviate their suffering from cancer. With modern treatment, cancer is no longer a death sentence. In modern centres with facilities, 45% of all cancers can be cured with early diagnosis. Also, radiotherapy will provide palliative treatment alleviating pain in patients with terminal cancer, allowing them to die with dignity. It is in line with this that our government will set up a cancer centre over the next 3 years.
Our most precious asset is our personnel that help run the affairs of our beloved state on a day to day basis. It is therefore our priority to ensure that their welfare is paramount on our list of priorities. Our plan is for the revolutionary transformation of the health sector of Ogun state into the best in Africa . Our government will set out policy on the following in collaboration with multinational energy and other companies:
- Free malaria treatment
- Free distribution of insecticides treated nets
- Free malaria drugs administration to adults and children in various local government areas.
On Environment, the quality of our lives as human beings is substantially a reflection of the quality of the environment which we inhabit. Just like fish are endangered in poisoned water, we can not live truly productive and fulfilled lives in an unhealthy environment. It is certainly no exaggeration to say that the environment is life in itself. It is important to say that the environment can also signify death if it is abused and defiled. To persist in living in an unsanitary, unplanned and inhospitable environment is not only to shortchange ourselves physically, mentally and psychically; it is to die prematurely by installment.
For us, the environment is a critical variable in re-discovering our self- esteem as a people of honor and dignity. We have thus resolved to transform our environmental challenges into opportunities for job and wealth creation. Our government will do everything possible to restore the visual appeal and recreational value of the environment. We will militate against the effects of global warming through carbon dioxide emission control and stimulate the market for seedlings, fertilizer and other agricultural implements.
The state of our environment is a major concern to this government. This administration government will take the bold steps to ensure a conducive environment for the state. We will put in place town planning and environmental laws whilst instituting a wealth programme for our people. Let me quickly add here that the task of creating a better habitat for ourselves and our children cannot be left to government alone. We must all play our part in order to enjoy the benefits of a cleaner, safer, better organised Ogun State . Some of the more unpleasant experiences of our city life are aggravated by habitual defiance of law and order. It is time for us all to take more responsibility, not only for ourselves and for our families but also for our communities and our state. By individual and corporate examples, we can influence the future. Let us from this day take pride in and better care of our environment. In this way we are sure to see a better state in the shortest possible time.
Agriculture
Our administration will continue to render tremendous assistance to our farmers. We shall assist them with adequate finances to procure fertilizers and various logistics in getting the farm products to their various markets.
I wish to mention at this point that successful implementation of the various programs mentioned above remain collective responsibility of us all. I humbly solicit for your support in achieving these fruitful programs that will benefit our people. I will welcome your constructive criticism leading to achievement of this aim.
Long live Ogun state
Long live Federal Republic Of Nigeria
KLM – Koni Baje o!
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