Gbenga Daniel proposes establishment of four additional campuses for TASUED

The former governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Saturday said that he had proposed to the Federal Government the need to establish four additional campuses of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun in Ijebu Ode.

Daniel stated that TASUED, which was recently taken over by the Federal Government, was established when he held sway as the governor of the state in 2005.

He stated that the university sits on 151 hectares of land, against the required 10,000 hectares for a federally owned institution.

The former governor said that this lack of required landmass will definitely hinder the projected development of the university and that to overcome this challenge, he had proposed to the federal government to establish four additional campuses one each at Ijebu Ode, Okeolugbogun in Ijebu North East, one around Odogbolu while Gateway Petroleum Institute, Oni in Ogun Waterside Local Government will also serve as another campus.

The senator disclosed this on Saturday while speaking during the midterm assessment and review tour to Ijebu North East Local Government held at the premises of Equity Resort, Erunwon.

The event also featured the provision of free medical services, distribution of various empowerment and working tools such as sewing machines, motorcycles, grinding machines, deep freezers, knapsack sprayers, among others.

Daniel has equally decried the hostility of the Ogun State government towards him and his genuine move to complement the government’s efforts towards developing the state.

The lawmakers said that such unfavourable disposition remains counterproductive and would only serve as a hindrance towards fast-tracking the state’s development.

He added that rather than engaging in unnecessary bickering over the facilitation of federal constituency projects, what is needed from the state government is synergy and cooperation to ensure that the people are not unnecessarily shortchanged on the altar of politics.

Daniel stated that “A fundamental part of my role as your Senator is lawmaking and, crucially, facilitating the location of federal projects to our constituency.

“However, I must clarify a critical point: my job essentially ends with the facilitation. The process of awarding contracts and executing these projects is the responsibility of various federal agencies, often in cooperation with state agencies.

“What we expect, and indeed require, from the State Government is cooperation, not hostility. Petty politics must never be allowed to short-change our people”

Speaking on the rehabilitation of Paddy Arikawe road in Sagamu GRA which has recently been a source of controversy and disagreement with the state government, the Senator said that the road was constructed over 20 years ago when he was the governor of the state.

He revealed further that the road has, however, failed to get significant maintenance over the years, hence his decision to facilitate its rehabilitation, but sadly, the state government started making issues out of the road project, saying that no requisite documents were obtained before the construction work commenced.

Daniel said that, meanwhile, “The primary responsibility for that road lies with the local and state government.

“The plank of my message to our state government is simple: we need encouragement, not discouragement, to bring more development home”.

While thanking the Federal Government for taking over the state-owned Tai Solarin University of Education, Daniel said that the university’s main campus at Ijagun only has a landmass of about 151 hectares, which is significantly smaller than the 10,000 hectares typically required for a new federal university.

He explained that “We have therefore submitted a special proposal for the creation of four satellite campuses within a 30km radius of the main campus. This initiative is strategically important, and incidentally, it holds a special significance.

“Unbeknownst to many, the family roots of our esteemed First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Mrs Remi Tinubu, are firmly planted here in Ijebu North East. Establishing these campuses is the least we can do in her honour.

The proposed campuses are a Skill Acquisition Mini-Campus at Okelugbogun, Ijebu North East Local Government, the conversion of Gateway Petroleum Institute (Oil Engineering Services) in Oni Waterside Local Government into a satellite campus, an Artificial Intelligence & Innovation Mini-Campus at Illishan/Odogbolu and a Health Sciences Mini-Campus at Ijebu-Ode”

The former governor pleaded with the state government to provide the necessary support and encouragement to make this dream a reality for the people.

Daniel equally sought the help of the state government to fix the poor roads in the local government to enhance their economic growth and prosperity.

He lauded President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to making Nigeria great and viable saying that the President has left no one in doubt of his desire to make life more rewarding for all and therefore deserved to be re-elected for another term of four years in 2027.

Daniel said he also remains committed to serving the people of the senatorial district while calling for the support and cooperation of both the people of Remo and Ijebu to close ranks and ensure that all efforts to get a new state of Ijebu-Remo created from the present Ogun State did not become a stillbirth.

Recall that the state government on Wednesday last week ordered Minim and Tonye Nigeria Limited handling the construction of Paddy Arikawe Oye Igbimo road, in Sagamu GRA, to stop work for failing to obtain the requisite approvals and permit from the state government before embarking on the road project.

A letter signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Dr Lateef Yusuf, on behalf of the Commissioner, Engr Ade Akinsanya and dated September 17 conveyed the stop-work order for the contractor

The media aide to Senator Daniel, Steve Oliyide had condemned the state government describing the stop work order as counterproductive and premeditated acts to deny the people of the state from enjoying the fruits of good governance under President Tinubu.

Oliyide alleged that this is not the first time the state government has interfered with or stopped the execution of road projects facilitated by Senator Daniel in the Senatorial district.

He explained,” This is not the first project the state government has stopped. The Sagamu Aiyepe road already has a budgetary approval, signed into Law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and now sooner than the Contractors were mobilised to the site than the Ogun State government moved in.

“The same thing happened with the Gateway Hotel and road in Ijebu Ode when the FG contractor was chased out of the location, the signboard removed and the Ogun State government rolled out a caterpillar as if they wanted to do it.

“When the FG contractor left, the Ogun State government also left the road abandoned and unattended. This is denying the people of Ogun East Senatorial District the benefits of the FG Interventions and it is sad.

“If the state government continues like this, they are just deliberately sabotaging the efforts of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards impacting the lives of the people positively. It is a sabotage of the Federal government’s efforts and an attempt to portray the president in a bad light before the people.”

The Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode while speaking to our Correspondent on Saturday dismissed the allegation of hostility towards the former governor.

Akinmade said that the state government is not hostile to the lawmaker but was only asking for the right thing to be done.

He explained that “With due respect to the former governor, what he ought to do first is what he’s doing last because government is about synergy and cooperation.

The usual thing to be done is to submit necessary documents and get the required approval before any projects are done, the state does the same with the federal government if it wants to embark on any projects which ordinarily belong to the federal government.

“The contractor handling this road project on Friday wrote to the state government and said that he was ready to adhere to the government directive and the government has also given him the nod to go back to the site.

“So, it is not about being hostile to anyone but rather about doing the right thing”

Cupped from Punch.