Osun: Why we embarked on emergency maintenance of 200km roads – Govt

The Government of the State of Osun has described its recent critical intervention and emergency maintenance of 25 roads spanning 200km across the State, as part of the commitment of the Oyetola-led administration to prioritise the welfare of citizens.

The government debunked insinuations that it was fixing roads as election bait, adding that its infrastructural interventions had been a sustained effort that even Covid-19 could not disrupt.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Transport, Engr. Hussein Olatoke Olaniyan, while addressing a press conference in his office, at the State Government Secretariat, Osogbo, on Wednesday, said the fact that election was six months away doesn’t mean that governance should stop.

Olaniyan, who described Oyetola’s administration as responsible and responsive, said the government could not afford to leave its people to continue to suffer untold hardship caused by those roads.

He appealed for the cooperation of citizens with the government, towards ensuring prompt completion of the
critical intervention and emergency maintenance projects before the rainy season.

“There’s been questions about our motivation for doing a number of roads when election is just a few months away. Let us put the records straight that from the first day, we have been doing a lot and we will continue to do so till our last day in office.

“There are a number of roads that had been abandoned by the federal government for a long time. We have approached the federal government but we have not gotten any response, probably because of lean resources. Now, we are taking up some of those roads.

“A typical example is the OSSADEP Junction in Iwo to Bowen University Gate. They’ve been on that road for about 20 years and our people are suffering. The federal government intervention on the Lameco to Ifon road has been on for over 15 years, but now we are going to reconstruct it fully.

“One thing I wish to re-emphasize is that our projects are always timely in completion. For the ongoing critical intervention, we are looking to take advantage of the dry season”, Olaniyan said.

In his remark, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Remi Omowaye, said Oyetola’s administration was doing a lot to transform the State, charging members of the public to ignore naysayers.

“I know a lot of people are curious about where the governor is getting the money from. This was a state nobody gave a chance, a state that was known for non-payment of salaries, a state known for incessant workers’ strike; but today, we are rolling out massive infrastructure.

“We have done enough for people to reelect us, but beyond that, we want to leave Osun far better than what we met it. There are some fresh constructions we will soon be carrying out, and I want to assure you that we will not compromise standard.

“The infrastructural deficit across the country is huge. When we came in, there was no single township road that was in good state in Osun West. Today, we have fixed a number of roads in that district, including the Gbongan township road, the 25km Ara Junction to Ejigbo, Kuta township road, Oke-Gada and Ede, and many more. We will continue to do more.

“We thank the citizens for keeping faith with us. This was a state that people didn’t believe could pay full salaries, but today, we are not only paying full salaries but have implemented minimum wage and ensured top notch welfare for our workers. We are putting in place infrastructures, doing a lot around health, a lot around agriculture, a lot around education.

“Beyond infrastructure, this government is doing a lot to move Osun forward. So, we want to enjoin our people to continue to support us. We have been able to achieve these things because we have a governor that is prudent and a top-notch administrator”, Omowaye said.

The locations where the project is ongoing across the state include: Ife zone, having Ipetumodu-Ode-omu road with a length of 5.83km, linking Ife North and Ayedaade Local Government Areas; and Ayetoro Street in Ifetedo, Ife-South Local Government with a length of 0.85km.

In Ilesa Zone: Wesley-Guild Hospital/ Oke-Iro road in Ilesa East Local Government Area with a length of 0.748km; School of Health Technology junction, Ilesa/Orogboji/Ayegbaju/Iwikun/lyinta/Iwara/Ifewara road, linking Ilesa East and Atakumosa West), covering a length of 8km; Ita-Akogun /Ita-Ofa/General Hospital road, Ilesa, in Ilesa West Local Government Area with a length of 2.85km; Iwara/Igangan Ayegunle/Olopon road in Atakumosa East Local Government Area with a length of 10.2km; Eti Oni/Esa-Oke road in Obokun Local Government Area with a length of 9.0km; Kajola/Oke Ibode/Prince Village /Okere oloja/Oke Osin/floba/Akola/Osu road in Atakumosa West Local Government Area, covering a length of 16.0 km.

In Ikirun Zone: Asalu junction/Palace Oke lla/Ikoro Ekiti road in Ifedayo Local Government Area, covering a length of 10km; General Hospital/Aketi Oke Aloyin in Ila Local Government Area, covering 0.48km length of road; Ikirun-Iree-Ila road-36.0km cutting through Ifelodun/Boripe/Boluwaduro Ila Local Government Areas; Idi Esu roundabout Ikirun/Iragbiji/Ororuwo/Ada of 6.37km, covering Ifelodun and Boripe Local Government Areas; Ororuwo Palace road in Boripe Local Government Area of 0.124km; Orita Oke Amola, Ikirun/ Apostolic Church Iragbiji, covering 0.35km linking Ifelodun and Boripe Local Government Areas; Eekosin/Inaja covering 7.5km length of road, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area; Inisa-Iba road in Ifelodun Local Government Area covering a length of 2.25km.

In Osogbo Zone: Osogbo /Boredun /Ibokun road, linking Osogbo, and Obokun Local Government Areas, covering 17.49km length of road; Testing Ground/Aderin/Powerline road, Osogbo with a length of 0.907km in Olorunda Local Government Area; CMS / Oluawo Oba/Kolawole Junction/Oluode – Orita Elelede/Owode Market/Almadiya junction roads, Osogbo in Olorunda Local Government Area, covering 2.145 km lenth of road; Obalende – Ojude Oga/ Oke Baale road, Osogbo in Osogbo Local Government Area with a length of 0.945km; Ojutu/Elerin Palace road in Irepodun Local Government Area, with a length of 1.752km

In Iwo Zone, Odo-Ori/Adeke road in Iwo Local Government Area with a length of 5.460km; OSADEP Junction (Aawe/Oyo road) / Bowen University. Iwo Local Government Area, covering a length of 4.3km; Gbongan lleogbo /Iwo road linking Ayedaade/Ayedire and Iwo Local Government Areas, covering a length of 24.26km; and Ogbaagba/Ikire-Ile/Ajagunlase road in Olaoluwa Local Government Area with a length of 18km.

Others in attendance at the press conference are; Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works and Transport, Engr. Bashir Akande; General Manager, Osun Road Maintenance Agency, Engr. Olusola Ajao; among other top officials of the Ministry.