Date Published: 08/25/09

Ondo govt assures on rapid developmental projects

 The Ondo State government on Tuesday expressed its determination to embark on projects that would bring about rapid transformation of the State just it justified the N118 million contract award for the reconstruction of the failed portion on federal highway at Ogbese town along the Akure/Benin.

The State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Yele Omogunwa who gave this assurance while speaking with journalists in Ogbese on Tuesday shortly after an inspection tour of the rehabilitation work at the hitherto bad stretch along the busy federal highway assured that the present administration would not embark on frivolous projects without any positive impact on the lives of the people.

While expressing satisfaction at the pace of job by the construction firm, Omogunwa disclosed that the State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko on assumption of office in February felt concerned about the deplorable conditions of Federal roads in the State, particularly the Federal Highways and directed the State Ministry of Works to urgently set in motion the process of rehabilitating the road to ameliorate the suffering of the road users and reduce the unnecessary carnages and loss of man-hour on the road.

His words: “My Ministry took inventory of the failed portions, prepared the Bills of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME) for nine (9) identified failed portions on the road by direct labour. But due to the enormous volume of work and cost involved in the Ogbese-Akure section of the failed portion, the Ministry sought and obtained Mr. Governor’s approval to rehabilitate the Ogbese-Akure section by contract in view of the urgency attached to the rehabilitation of the road.

 “You all saw the harrowing experience of commuters who ply this road which leads to Edo State as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja went through. If we say that because it is a Federal Highway and we close our eyes and allow the road to be completely cut off while lives and properties worth millions of Naira were being lost almost on a daily basis, it will be a disservice to this nation as well as our own people. This is the reason why we had to intervene despite our lean resources in order to arrest this ugly trend and we are happy that today, those who ply this road are happy despite what some people who ruled this State for six years and left the roads in ruins are saying,” Omogunwa expounded.

 The Commissioner who insisted that contrary to the insinuations in some quarters that the amount of the contract was not commensurate with the nature and quality of the job expected by the state government stated: “Any right thinking and objective minded person will see that the amount commensurate with the type of job, given its planning and quality; the scope of the job as you can see, is huge. It is also very embracing and encompassing. In fact, there is no type of job on federal road that is of good quality as this one”

Omogunwa, who stated that the raining season has partially affected the time for the completion of the job, noted that the contractor has been told to deliver an acceptable and quality job, adding that Dr. Mimiko’s administration would not accept shoddy job from any contractor in the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructural Maintenance, Dr. Igbekele Daodu, said that the concrete cast and drainage system were being handled in line with the contract specifications, disclosing that all the failed spots between Ogbese and Akure, the state capital were included in the contract sum.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Alex Aragbaye also noted that the project, which covers over 500 meters and designed with three layers of pavement, was carried out strictly in line with due process.

He disclosed further that the same rate used by the previous administration was applicable stressing that the present work was of higher volume and scope

Most of the commuters and residents of Ogbese who spoke with reporters on the development were full of praises for the administration of Dr Olusegun Mimiko for rising to the occasion. They described the step as a sign that the government is indeed one with a caring heart.