Environment

Early Morning Downpour Leaves Olodo Residents Stranded

By Web News 565

By Olawale Asake

Following today’s early morning downpour in some parts of Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, the ancient bridge on the alternative road created by the State Government for motorists and residents of Olodo, Lagelu Local Government Area, has been submerged, causing motorists and commuters to be stranded.

Two of the stranded motorists, Mrs Faithia Olayiwola and Mr. Jide Oluwole said the floodwater on the bridge made them spend hours watching the flow as they could not go to their various places of work.

According to them, the volume of the flood on the bridge and spread to other parts of the road affected the movements of vehicles and Pedestrians.

Others who spoke with Radio Nigeria maintained that they were on their way to work, while they suddenly met the flood that nobody could navigate through on the Alternative Road.p

Our Correspondent, reports that motorists going to Osun State through Iwo/Ibadan Road were seen lamenting, calling on the government to expedite actions on the Main Road where Bridge construction is ongoing.

It was also observed that the floodwater rose to the level of the barricades on the bridge, indicating that the bridge had no tiny outlet to empty the floodwater occasioned by the downpour.

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Environment

Govt. Provides Alternative Route to Collapsed Olodo Bridge

By Web News 537

By Iyabo Adebisi

Oyo State government has opened an alternative route in Olodo environment following the collapse of the Olodo Bank Bridge due to flooding, appealing to road users not to hinder the flow of traffic on the new route.

The Commissioner for Works, Public Infrastructure and Transport, Professor Daud Shangodoyin, who visited the 2.5 kilometre Oki Junction-Olodo Bank Road fixed by the government as an alternative route for road users in the axis, said the collapsed bridge would also be fixed in six months.

Professor Shangodoyin was at the site in company of the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade and an Engineer from the contractors handling the Ibadan-Iwo-Osogbo Road.

According to him, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde has equally directed that another route from Oki through Kumapayi to Olodo, which is 3.8km, should be fixed as an alternative, saying that the Ministry would embark on that project immediately.

He appealed to road users to manage the alternative infrastructure so as not to cause hardship for other road users, stating that work would begin on the collapsed bridge in a few days.

The commissioner added that work would start on the collapsed Olodo Bridge in earnest and that it would take about six months for the work to be completed.

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Transportation

Olodo alternative route will be ready Wednesday” – Works Commissioner.

By Web News 423

By Oluwakayode Banjo 

The Oyo State Government has said an alternative route from Oki junction to Olodo Garage will be opened for motorists on Wednesday, while the re-construction of the Olodo bridge is ongoing.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Orientation on Saturday, the alternative route will reduce the hardship of movement of road users. 

In the statement, the Commissioner for Public Works and Transport, Professor Dahud  Sangodoyin, stressed that the Oyo state government was committed to the free flow of traffic during the period

Sangodoyin stated that ongoing repair works on the alternative route highlighted for traffic management were being rounded up, adding that the contractor has expedited action on the alternative route.

 He said, “You remember that we have awarded the construction of Iwo-Road to Odo-Oba road, and due to climatic change that led to heavy downpour of rain, there is a need to construct a new bridge at Olodo. To do that, we need to construct a palliative route for our people to reduce the hardship on the Iwo-Road-Olodo-Odo-Oba road”.

“What we have done now is to identify the easiest way out for an alternative route, and that is why we are here. Of course, I know that there must have been some hardship on the road, especially for people to pass to their homes. That is why I’m here to inspect and to make sure that we are proactive in terms of how to finish the alternative route”.

The statement quoted the Project Manager, Mr. Israel Eleta, saying that the ongoing repair works on the alternative routes highlighted for traffic management were being rounded up.

Raising concerns on some failed sections of the alternative routes, the contractor confirmed that the bad portions are being fixed.

“On the road alignment, we are working on the failed portions; it is an old road, and most of the portions have failed. We have about two or three culverts that are damaged, and we have made provisions for them. Also, we are not putting a culvert; we are putting an iron steel to reduce the date of curing. If we are to use culverts, it will take two or three weeks for the curing, but the steel we are putting is immediate, that is, vehicles will ply over it immediately.”

He explained that the alternative road will start from Oki junction and will end at Olodo Garage, saying that all hands are on deck to ensure the target day is met.

Appreciating the state government for its quick response, a resident of Olodo, Pa Olofinjana Abdulrazak, said the alternative road will ease the stress of motorists and commuters.

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Environment

Several flood mitigation projects to be completed in the next 18 months – Makinde

By Web News 769

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has promised to complete several ongoing flood management projects across the state within the next eighteen months to reduce challenges of flooding.

He gave the pledge during an on-the-spot assessment of communities affected by the heavy rainfall which caused flooding in some part of Ibadan, destroyed properties worth millions of naira while some were rendered homeless.

Governor Makinde explained that the state government had commenced work on proper channelization, better drainage system, construction of necessary bridges and ensuring that no structure blocks waterways in accordance with the Ibadan City Master Plan. 

Governor Makinde stressed the need for residents to imbibe necessary safety behavior by not blocking drainages with waste and building structures that disrupt free flow of water. 

According to the governor, instructions had been given to the state Ministry of Public Works to commence immediate evaluation of public properties destroyed and fix them.

The governor was accompanied by the officials of the state Ministry of Public Works, Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project, Oyo state Emergency Management Agency and visited Iwo Road, Olodo, Onipepeye, amongst other places affected by the rain.

Iyabo Adebisi

Health

Covid-19: We have expended about a Billion Naira – Oyo Govt.

By Web News 1359

Oyo state government has spent about one billion naira in the fight against Covid-19 in the state.

This was disclosed by the Acting Chairman, Oyo State Covid-19 Taskforce, Professor Temitope Alonge during a news briefing at the Infectious Disease Center, Olodo, Ibadan.

Acting Chairman, Oyo State Taskforce on Covid-19, Prof Temitope Alonge (second right); Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Soji Adeyanju (left); Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Oyo State, Mr Taiwo Adisa (second left) and representative of Raymond Zard Group, Mr Taiwo Oriowo during a press briefing and donation of 100 beds to Oyo State Government held at Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, Ibadan by Raymond Zard Group. PHOTO: Oyo State Government.

Professor Alonge who is also the former Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan explained that about 200 million naira had been spent on the Infectious Disease Center, Olodo to make it operational which will begin work from next week Monday.

He said about 700 to 800 Million naira had been expended on the Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Units and testing kits across the isolation centers in the state.

Professor Alonge added that the state would train about a hundred health workers starting from Saturday 4th April, to effectively combat Covid-19 in Oyo state.

The acting head of the Covid-19 task force in Oyo state, however, maintained that contact tracing of about one hundred and forty persons was ongoing.

Radio Nigeria gathered that the Oyo state government has received close to a hundred million naira in funds from individuals both within the state and outside the state in the fight against Covid-19.

The donation according to the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinola Ojo was received through the launch of endowment fund accounts in three commercial banks.

Iyabo Adebisi