Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, says his administration will provide about 250 semi-detached and fully detached duplex houses at the President Muhammad Buhari (PMB) Estate in the state before the end of the year.

Abiodun, who made this known during an inspection of the first phase of the 60 mixed development scheme at Kobape, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Thursday, said the project when completed would have a recreation park, shopping centre, and security post, among other facilities.

“I am sure that between now and the end of this year, we will have nothing less than 200 to 250 units that will be completed here with the complementary landscape and all other pieces of furniture that are required to make this place an ideal place to live,” he said.

The governor, while disclosing that the project was among several inherited from the past administration, noted that the contractor, who according to him had taken the state government to court and was about to get a judgement against the state, has been paid off.

Governor Abiodun added that his administration began the installmental payoff of the outstanding amount unpaid by the immediate past administration.

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He said: “A lot of taxpayers money was spent on this project. Before we assumed office, the infrastructure contract had been awarded, basically the road network and the street lightning poles that you saw here.

“However, the contractor was never paid. By the time we assumed office, the contractor had taken us to court. We didn’t even realise it because the previous administration had left the matter in court unattended to.

“So, when we assumed office, the contractor was about to be given judgment against the state. So, we had to scramble, wade into it, work out an amicable settlement with the contractor and began an installmental payoff of the amount outstanding.

“So, the Dapo Abiodun administration paid off the contractor.”

Abiodun, while calling on prospective investors to take advantage of the discount available on the properties, said his administration does not want the property to continue to remain idle as it had been in the last six to seven years.

Governor Abiodun further stated that his administration came up with a Public Private Partnership program where people were invited to express interest to partner with the state.

Also speaking, the immediate past Special Adviser and General Manager of the Ogun State Property Investment Corporation (OPIC), Abiodun Fari, said the state government is looking at the next nine months for the delivery of the units under construction.

He added that phase one of the project would be used to unlock the value of land in the estate.

The Star