During his inauguration on February 24, 2009, the governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, promised a massive infrastructural development, decisive intervention in health, education and agricultural sectors of the economy. He was also quick to add that security of lives and property of both indigenes and residents of the state would be guaranteed by his government.
Apparently, marching his words with action, the governor has begun massive turnaround of the state with focus on beautification of the major towns, particularly Akure, the state capital.
Prior to the present administration, Akure was the only town without a dual carriage way, but Mimiko had awarded contracts for the dualisation of major roads in Ondo and Owo towns and also extended that of the state capital to cover other major roads in the town. The projects are at various stages of completion.
The government, in pursuance of its urban renewal programme and beautification projects aimed at creating conducive environment for business transaction, conceived the idea of an Auto Mart close to a year after inauguration.
The idea was borne out of the desire of the government to provide an alternative to the years of traffic menace faced in Akure, which was largely caused by the activities of the auto dealers, who were making use of every available space to display their vehicles. Having settled the much difficult problem of traders and market men and women causing acute traffic snarl on the popular Oja Oba, along Adesida Road by providing alternatives for them through the construction of Caring Heart Neighbourhood Markets at different areas of the town, the government moved ahead to end the headache created by auto dealers on the stretch of Oyemekun/Adesida/Ado-Owo road in the town.
The government awarded contract for the construction of the Auto Mart which was completed and commissioned during the second year anniversary of his administration in February, 2011.
Many auto dealers in the state initially kicked against the project but later appreciated it when they saw the genuineness of the government about their welfare and the amazing facilities that were provided with the project.
They all moved happily to the new International Auto Mart – after the commissioning and all businesses related with auto dealers were moved to the site.
The new auto-mart, located opposite the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Akure Office and adjoining the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has provided shelter for all the cars originally displayed beside the road sides in the Akure metropolis by various auto dealers.
When LEADERSHIP paid a visit to the auto mart, described by the state government as one of its kind in Nigeria, over 1000 vehicles were on display and they were divided into sections with 20 cars per stall for the attention of would-be buyers.
Among the facilities in the premises of the auto mart include, two banking halls for the use of car dealers and their customers, fire stations and police security post.
Provisions were also made for insurance companies that may wish to operate from the mart, vehicle licensing office among others.
Governor Mimiko said that the project gulped N350million, stressing that it was first of its kind in Nigeria. He disclosed that the project was conceived by his administration to halt the menace of indiscriminate and unorganised auto trading by over 100 registered auto dealers along major roads and streets in Akure.
The governor noted that “the benefit of the Auto Mart is that apart from addressing the infrastructural needs of Akure, it will also be of tremendous economic value in the generation of employment and boost commerce in the state.”
The former Ondo State commissioner for physical planning and urban development, Mr Kunle Asaolu, described the Auto Mart as a premier project which is benchmarking automobile business in the country.”
“The desired effect of unencumbered traffic flow, road expansion and beautification of the Oba Adesida-Oyemekun Road corridor will however, not be achieved if automobile dealers continue to take over the road shoulders to display their vehicles”.
For the the Chairman of Elizade Nigeria Limited, Dr Michael Adeojo, the project is a watershed in the annals of auto mart in Nigeria. He stated that the N350 million project was well thought out and remains the best and the first of its kind in Nigeria.
The Senior Special Assistant to governor Mimiko on direct labour and head of the team that constructed the auto mart, Mrs. Mobolaji Tunde-Suara said, “The auto mart was designed to enable the take-off of a functional and effective market for auto mobiles, to ease the daily stress of dealers and to take the burden off the shoulders of buyers who have had to go through the rigours of movement in the city centre to perform what ought to be an easy job of becoming car owners.”
To leverage on the success story, the government has promised to launch the second phase in the next few months.
Mrs. Suara disclosed last week that the move became imperative because the present auto mart could no longer accommodate all the car dealers in the state capital.
She said some car dealers have approached the state government and pleaded with it to get the association another space to accommodate some of their members who still sell their cars on the streets in the town.
Chief Makinde Adeseye and Emmanuel Adeyi, both auto dealers, applauded the initiative of the government and urged the governor to continue with the beautification and industrialization of the state.
They advised Mimiko not to be deterred by what they termed the ‘never see anything good politics’ of the oppositions.