‘Ogun west needs N5b for development’

 Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

A leader in Yewaland, Gbenga Akinwande, has called on Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun to establish an Ogun West Development Commission (OGWDC) to tackle the zone’s stunted socio-economic growth and development.

Akinwande also advised that N5 billion be appropriated annually to the Commission to build and develop socio-economic infrastructure in the area to bridge the gap of uneven development that has continued to leave Yewa-Awori people short-changed.

The philanthropist made the call at the weekend in Ayetoro, Yewa North, at the closing of the 2019/2020 edition of Yewa-Awori Football Tournament tagged ‘Yewa-Awori Unity Cup’.

The annual football tournament is sponsored by Akinwande, through the Gbenga Akinwande Foundation to foster unity in Ogun West and nurture sports talents among youths in rural areas.

He urged the governor to exercise strong leadership quality by constituting a round table stakeholders’ conference of the three senatorial zones – Ogun Central (Egba); Ogun East (Ijebu and Remo) and Ogun West (Yewa and Awori) – to review development that is ‘skewed against Yewa and Awori people’.

He said: “I appeal to the governor in the interim to establish Ogun West Development Commission (OGWDC), to be headed by a son or daughter of Ogun West. The commission should be funded with at least N5 billion yearly over the next five years.

“The fund should be used to build schools, hospitals, roads, electricity, provision of tractors and machineries, agriculture extension and consulting services in many of the rural communities in Ogun West. I think such good gesture is needed from both the Egba and Ijebu to the people of Yewa-Awori as a compensation for decades of neglect and deprivation by the government.”

Akinwande also urged the Council of Obas in Ogun West to engage their counterparts in Ogun Central and prevail on them to forfeit the proposed Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH) to Ogun West, saying the coordinated leadership of the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland and the Olota of Ota is needed in this regard.