Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has declared his administration's readiness to establish a state police force, describing it as a critical step towards strengthening security, protecting investments, and sustaining the state's growing economic activities. The governor made the announcement at a town hall meeting on the 2027 budget and the 2027-2029 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for Remo Division, held at the Akarigbo Palace, Sagamu. Abiodun, who chairs the Nigeria Governors' Forum Committee on State Police, said Ogun was prepared to embrace the initiative.
The governor noted that the state's expanding industrial and commercial activities required a more robust security framework. He disclosed that his administration had consistently strengthened the state's security architecture through the provision of operational vehicles, allowances, and equipment, as well as increased recruitment into the Ogun State Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun. Abiodun said Amotekun and the So-Safe Corps currently had a combined strength of about 6,000 personnel.
On the cash transfer initiative, the governor said the program was designed to provide direct financial support to vulnerable households grappling with the rising cost of living, particularly food and transportation. He linked the prevailing economic pressures partly to disruptions in the global oil and gas supply chain arising from the ongoing Israel-American-Iran conflict, which he said had contributed to rising oil prices and transportation costs.
The governor disclosed that the program would commence immediately in Sagamu, with beneficiaries already identified and captured in the state's database expected to receive payment alerts. He added that the initiative would subsequently be extended to other communities across Remoland and the entire state. Abiodun further announced plans to sink boreholes in all 236 wards across the state, while also providing transformers and solar-powered streetlights to improve access to basic amenities and enhance security in communities.
Earlier, the Economic Adviser to the Governor and Commissioner for Finance, Mr Dapo Okubadejo, said effective governance depended on open dialogue, active citizen participation, and mutual accountability between the government and the people. He noted that the performance of any administration should ultimately be assessed by the tangible improvements its policies and programs brought to the lives of citizens, particularly through infrastructure development and social interventions.
Providing an overview of the state's fiscal performance, Okubadejo disclosed that Ogun recorded an expenditure performance of N490 billion out of the N703 billion budget estimate for 2024, representing approximately 70 percent. He said the 2025 budget of N1.05 trillion recorded expenditure of about N700 billion, representing 65 percent performance. According to him, the 2026 budget, valued at N1.67 trillion, had continued to support government interventions in infrastructure, education, youth empowerment, agriculture, and other critical sectors.
The Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, commended the state government for the development projects executed across the division but called for the establishment of a monitoring team to ensure that public facilities were properly utilised and maintained. The monarch also appealed for the establishment of federal tertiary institutions in Remoland and urged the state government to ensure that indigenes of the division were adequately included in the state's economic development initiatives.
Key points
- Ogun State is ready to establish a state police force to strengthen security and protect investments.
- The state government has launched a social investment cash transfer program to support vulnerable residents.
- The governor has announced plans to improve access to basic amenities and enhance security in communities across the state.
