OGLABOT puts Ogun border communities at centre of development agenda

Ogun-Lagos Border Towns Development Group (OGLABOT) has intensified its campaign to place communities along Ogun State’s borders with Lagos at the centre of the state’s development agenda, demanding deliberate investment to close infrastructure gaps and unlock their economic potential.

The group said the rapid expansion of the border communities had not been matched by adequate roads, housing, schools, healthcare facilities, markets and other public infrastructure, despite their growing population and economic importance to Ogun State.

OGLABOT made the case during an engagement with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, where it presented a development document produced from consultations with residents, community leaders, business owners and other stakeholders.

The group identified Tongeji Island, transportation links, bridges and infrastructure in densely populated communities among areas requiring urgent intervention, arguing that properly developing the border corridor could contribute significantly to the wider Ogun economy.

OGLABOT Coordinator, Simeon Olu Okeowo, said development of the border communities had remained at the heart of the organisation’s advocacy for more than a decade.

“OGLABOT is an initiative that predates 2011 and was initiated by Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI). Since then, the development of the border communities has remained an agenda that we have continued to push. “We believe the people in these communities deserve to have their voices heard, and that is why we have continued to engage residents, community leaders and other stakeholders and document the issues that require government attention,” Okeowo said.

He said the organisation would continue engaging relevant stakeholders to secure practical solutions to the problems confronting residents.

Boye said OGLABOT’s consultations revealed that many of the communities possessed significant economic potential but lacked infrastructure necessary to translate that advantage into sustainable development.

He highlighted Tongeji Island, the need for bridges in parts of Ogun Central and infrastructure deficiencies in densely populated areas where residents, according to him, struggled to feel the impact of government.

Deji Olatunya said the group’s grassroots engagements had provided a clearer picture of the peculiar challenges confronting individual communities.

“Our town hall meetings have allowed us to hear directly from the people. We have been able to identify not only the problems but also practical areas where intervention can make a difference,” he said.

Abel Fadebi said implementation of the strategic projects identified by OGLABOT would have benefits beyond the immediate border communities.

According to him, improved infrastructure would raise living standards, stimulate economic activities, encourage tax compliance and strengthen residents’ confidence in government.

He also highlighted the large population of the border communities and said OGLABOT’s grassroots structure could facilitate further consultations and town hall engagements across the affected areas.

Responding, Adeola acknowledged the strategic importance of the Ogun-Lagos border communities and said their development would form part of his broader policy agenda.

He disclosed that work had commenced on a proposed 30-year master plan for Ogun State, which is expected to take about 18 months to complete and provide a framework for residential and commercial development, transportation networks and public infrastructure.

Adeola said Ogun could no longer afford uncoordinated development, particularly in communities experiencing rapid population growth because of their proximity to Lagos.

“We cannot continue to govern without a functional master plan. Development must be properly coordinated, and adequate infrastructure must be provided if our people are to experience the true presence of government,” he said.

He also identified Tongeji Island, mineral resources and industrial development as areas capable of contributing to the state’s economic growth.

Adeola subsequently requested OGLABOT to nominate a three-member committee to work with his policy team to review the group’s recommendations alongside his manifesto and economic blueprint and develop proposals specifically for the border communities.

He commended Gboyega Nasir Isiaka for sustaining the OGLABOT initiative and its advocacy for border-community development.

The engagement was facilitated by Isiaka as part of efforts to bring the OGLABOT development agenda into discussions on the future development of Ogun State.

OGLABOT said it would sustain its advocacy for deliberate planning and investment in Ogun’s border communities, particularly areas where rapid population growth and expanding economic activities continue to put pressure on inadequate infrastructure.

The post OGLABOT puts Ogun border communities at centre of development agenda appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.