Mr Kayode Ibrahim - Radio Nigeria Ibadan Zonal Station

By Dayo Adu

The Federal Controller of Works in Oyo State, Mr Kayode Ibrahim says the road rehabilitation project in Saki town had been completed.

Mr Ibrahim stated this while refuting the claims by a certain organisation known as ‘Budgit Tracka’ that the road project had been abandoned by the contractor.

According to a statement personally signed by him on Saturday in Ibadan, the project, titled “Limited Rehabilitation of Opo Malu Road in Saki Oyo State was a Federal Government intervention project which has been completed.

He described the Budgit Tracka’s publication on the project as erroneous and grossly misleading, declaring that the project was executed as awarded and that any contrary information should be disregarded.

The Federal Controller of works explained that the project was awarded in Jan. 2022 with the Engineer’s order to commence work on March, 2022 and complete it within the period of three months.

“The location of the project, which is generally refer to as Opo Malu area, traverses eleven communities beginning from Opo Malu junction through Orogun road to Isale Adini in Saki.

“It is pertinent to note that prior to the federal government intervention, the road was completely impassable and the communities down the road cut off from the major road in Saki”, he stated.

Mr. Ibrahim added that the contractor completed the limited rehabilitation works on schedule and submitted her certificate which was dully processed.

He noted that the leadership of the 11 communities through which the rehabilitated road traverses had written a letter of satisfactory execution of the project to his office, a confirmation that the project was delivered.

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The federal government has commenced emergency repair of critical portions hindering the smooth movement of motorists on the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Expressway.

Mr Kayode Ibrahim, the Oyo State Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, made this known on Tuesday in Ibadan.

According to him, Kopek Construction Company, the contractor handling the project, was in the process of mobilisation.

Ibrahim said: “It has moved to critical portions of the road to make it motorable before full mobilisation.

“Because of the heavy downpour that we experienced in recent time, a section around Ilesa has gone very critical and a contractor had moved there.

“The contractor has been working on the road since the last two weeks; all the bad sections of the road, close to Ile-Ife are now motorable.

“The contractor started with the critical portions, the sections between Ile-Ife and Ilesa is currently receiving attention and work will soon start at the less critical locations as it progresses.

“The Ibadan interchange to Asejire Bridge, which is not as critical as the other sections of the road, will soon receive attention; that is the instruction they have and they are carrying it out.”

Giving an update on the Oyo-Ogbomoso Road, the controller said the old road was currently receiving attention.

“Some sections of the old Oyo-Ogbomoso Road, which has almost been cut off because of the recent heavy downpour, is presently receiving serious intervention.

“Federal government has awarded emergency repair for the old road, particularly the road shoulders where tankers and vehicles are falling.

“So, Renoid Construction Company has been instructed to attend to very critical portions,” he said.

On the new Oyo-Ogbomoso dual carriageway, the controller said repair work was ongoing, adding, “major work now is on the bridges and interchange at Oyo section.”

According to him, the road contract augmentation that had been approved was to strengthen the pavement so that the failure experienced in other road would not occur there.

“So, the design has been strengthened to include two layers of bidders, the contractor is now putting the second layer,” he said.

Ibrahim said that other federal road projects across the state that were currently receiving attention included Iseyin-Saki Road; Igboho-Sepeteri; Iseyin-Alaga to Okaka and Baasi; Ogbomoso to Igbeti and Oyo-Aawe-Iwo.

The controller said Oyo State was receiving good attention from the federal government, declaring that the state was well captured in the road infrastructure development of the present administration.

He implored the people of the state to be patience with government.

Ibrahim said there was general meltdown in the economy of the entire globe.

“But, with the scarce resources federal government is making efforts to address road infrastructure deficits across the country,” he said.

NAN