The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has pledged N50 million towards the construction of a new secretariat for the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council.
Adeola also promised to provide a new bus for the union, while outlining his plans for the development of the state.
The APC candidate made the commitments while speaking on his development agenda, stressing the need for multinational companies and other industries operating in Ogun State to strengthen their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and contribute more meaningfully to the development of their host communities.
He said companies operating in the state should support their host communities through employment opportunities, infrastructure development and other social interventions.
Adeola further said that, if elected governor, his administration would encourage companies with major operations in Ogun to establish their regional or corporate offices within the state instead of maintaining their headquarters in Lagos.
According to him, such a policy would stimulate economic activities, create more employment opportunities, particularly for youths, and increase the state's Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
He also promised to formulate policies that would encourage industries operating in Ogun to employ more indigenes and residents of the state as part of efforts to tackle unemployment and improve the standard of living.
On urban development, Adeola said his administration would prioritise the development of border communities and emerging urban centres across the state.
He said the government would develop new town schemes and expand infrastructure in strategic locations, drawing lessons from the planned development of areas such as Lekki, Ikoyi and Lagos Island in Lagos State.
The governorship candidate also pledged to uphold press freedom and maintain a cordial relationship with journalists and media organisations if elected.
He promised to grant the 20 local government councils in Ogun greater autonomy to manage their affairs and resources, stressing that sustainable development must begin at the grassroots.
On agriculture, Adeola proposed the establishment of a commodity exchange mechanism that would provide farmers with reliable markets for their produce.
He said his administration would serve as an off-taker for agricultural products, thereby reducing post-harvest losses and providing farmers with greater income security.
He also pledged to promote mechanised farming, expand access to financing for farmers and establish what he described as a major dairy farm in the state.
Unveiling his nine-point development agenda, tagged “ITESIWAJU,”Adeola identified infrastructure; tourism and culture; education and human capital development; security; women and youth empowerment; sports development; agricultural transformation; job creation and industrialisation; and urban renewal and environmental sustainability as key areas of focus.
He said Ogun State's strategic location offered enormous economic opportunities which, if properly harnessed, could position the state more prominently on the global economic map.
“Ogun State is strategically located in an area of economic opportunity, and I promise to put the state on the global map in terms of tourism, infrastructure, education, health, sports and information,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Ogun State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju, commended Adeola for what he described as his contributions to infrastructure development and the welfare of journalists in the state.
Olanrewaju noted that journalists in the state had benefited from training and laptop empowerment programmes facilitated by the senator.
The NUJ chairman, however, urged Adeola to prioritise the rehabilitation and repositioning of the state-owned electronic media organisations, Ogun State Television (OGTV) and Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC).
According to him, greater government attention to the two media organisations would enable them to effectively discharge their responsibilities in information dissemination and public enlightenment.
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