The Governor, State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola has expressed his unalloyed support for Road Access Mobility Project (RAMP) so as to further improve the transportation of farm produce by farmers in the State from the rural areas to urban Centers.
Governor Oyetola stated this at a two-Day Stakeholders sensitization workshop to promote Rural Mobility and dissemination of Low Volume Road Manuals organized by Osun Road Access Mobility Project (O’RAMP) held at Center for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo.
Governor Oyetola who was represented by the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government in the State, Prince Adebayo Adeleke disclosed that, RAMP has improve the transportation and marketing of farm produce by farmers in Osun adding that, the project has indeed reduced rural-urban migration noting that, farmers are now staying where their job is without migrating to urban Centers.
He therefore urged the participants to obey COVID-19 rules so that, they will not be arrested and prosecuted.
While declaring the workshop open, the Project Coordinator, Rural Access and Mobility Project in the State, Prince Adesola Adewumi explained that, RAMP is basically established to ensure that rural dwellers have easy access to their communities especially their farmlands saying that, it will enhance easy transportation of farm produce.
The Coordinator further Stated that, the workshop will help the farmers to understand the purpose for which the roads were constructed adding that, the rural dwellers will make more gains while selling their farm produce and boost economy of the State.
In his keynote address, the National Coordinator, Rural Access Mobility Project, Engn. Ubandoma Ularamu commended Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s led administration for been proactive stating that, Osun is the second State to conduct this important workshop to disseminate the rural road manuals adding that, the manuals will be used as a guide for Engineers and other stakeholders in designing rural roads in Nigeria particularly in the State of Osun.
According to him, “The need to promote rural mobility cannot be overemphasized because unprecedented growth in agricultural activities have increased in the area where these roads have been provided.
“Under populated area have now suddenly become populated with more homestead on the increase. Good agricultural lands previously lying unutilized have become viable and are being cultivated and made productive.
“Social service points such as clinics, Schools and so on are now accessible and new ones have been erected. Farmers are able to easily move their produce to markets and processing Centers and by this post-harvest losses have reduced drastically and employment opportunities is on the increase.” He explained.
Engr. Ubandoma however encouraged the State Government to key into the new RAAMP having constructed about five hundred and eleven kilometers (KM) of Roads with about twenty- six river across all the nocks and crannies of the State.
In his address, the Consultant, RAMP 2 in Osun, Prof. M.K. Yahaya stated that Osun RAMP has been up and doing in the last five years to bring succor to the teeming population in rural areas across the State with Low Volume Road (LVR) to alleviate the transportation burden of the society.
He explained further, ” Osun RAMP activities across the State can be described as a proverbial “golden fish that has no hidden place”. This directly addresses the second leg of this activities, which is to sensitize and mobilize stakeholders in order to improve transport condition and bring sustained access to the rural populace through rehabilitating and maintaining key rural transport infrastructure in a sustainable manner in Osun”. He said.
Prof. Yahaya therefore said, to further deepen the activities Osun RAMP activities, the project is already prospecting for possible futher assistance that will be all encompassing like establishment of agricultural hubs, buffer stocks, farmers market as well as enhancement of several livelihood enterprises across the Senatorial Distincts of the State.
Olayemi Olojede
“O” RAMP.
