Ogun sets to create smart cities, unveils GRA regeneration scheme 

The Ogun state government has unveiled a housing regeneration programme aimed at transforming some dilapidated structures within its government reservation areas (GRA).

The project, initiated by Dapo Abiodun, the state governor, is tagged “Ogun State GRA Regeneration Programme”.

Jamiu Omoniyi, the commissioner for housing in Ogun, said in a statement that the scheme will create “smart cities” with the construction of modern housing units on over 100 hectares of land in Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode and Ota.

He noted that the scheme would be extended to Ibara, Idi-Aba (annex of the Government Technical College) and other areas of Ogun.

Omoniyi explained that the main objective of the regeneration plan is to restructure the affected areas to make them environmentally friendly through public partnerships (PPP).

The commissioner added that plans include replacing obsolete and dilapidated buildings that share the characteristics of slum areas with the general framework of an overall plan for modern city development.

He said the Ibara scheme is to be redeveloped into 500 housing units, while Idi-Aba is to have 100 units.

“We have gone around, and we saw that the occupants of these houses have heeded the vacation notice. Now, we are ready to commence the demolition of the old and dilapidated structures and begin planning to build smart cities within the Abeokuta metropolis,” Omoniyi said.

“For clarification purposes, GRA Ibara does not belong to the civil and public servants in the state.

“At the inception of the creation of Ogun State in 1976, this location provided shelter for the civil servants of Ogun extraction who were coming back from the defunct Western Region. But, we realized that this prime location was being underutilised.

“For now, we are starting with Abeokuta. Then, we will move to other locations where we have the state government’s assets being wasted away.”

Omoniyi said he has the directive of the governor to prioritise civil servants in the allocation of houses after regeneration.

He further said a variety of options — rent-to-own, outright purchase, and mortgage — have been put in place to make public servants benefit from the new scheme.

He added that the project would focus on local content by engaging artisans, suppliers and developers within the state, creating about 20,000 direct and indirect jobs.