Daniel Agbolade

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has commissioned 5.76km rural roads at Ikereku in Akinyele East Local Council Development Area of the state.

The road project with 19 culverts was the pilot scheme of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) which cut across Ikereku - Oloronbo – Abidogun – Ileba – Abebi - Onigbongbo Village, linking Iware Road.

He said the commissioning ceremony was another success story of his administration, stating that the project was aimed at improving living standards of the people at the grassroots and providing access roads for them to convey their farm produce to the city.

The governor, represented by the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, said more communities would benefit from the scheme, saying that the project would cover over 500 kilometers of rural roads in the state.

He however enjoined people of the state to support All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming elections so as to guarantee more dividends of democracy.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, Mr. Oyewole Oyewunmi, lauded the governor for making the area pioneer beneficiary of the RAAMP project, emphasizing that the initiative would assist in promoting agricultural production and generate employment opportunities for the people.

Project Coordinator of RAAMP in the state, Mr Yode Ayanlowo, said main objectives of RAAMP are to improve rural access and agricultural marketing in selected participating states while enhancing sustainability of the rural and states’ roads network, stressing that the project is meant to connect small holder farmers in participating state to local agricultural markets with all weathered access road in selected and prioritized rural development areas.

He stated that 28 rural local councils would benefit from the programme in Oyo State, noting that RAAMP as a project does not stop at providing access roads to ease evacuation of farm produce after harvest to the markets but also is concerned about what becomes of the produce when it gets to the market.

In their goodwill messages, Oniroko of Iroko, Mr Olasukanmi Opeola and Onikereku of Ikereku, Mr Olasunkanmi Akinyosoye expressed appreciation to Mr Ajimobi for his laudable achievements in the state especially the elevation of traditional rulers to crown Obas in Ibadan land.

Chairman of Akinyele East Local Council Development Area, Mr. Ayo Akinpade, described the project as a good omen that would increase agricultural productivity in the area as well as revenue generation for the council.