Governor Ademola Adeleke on Wednesday evening convened a project review meeting with key state officials overseeing major infrastructure works across Osun State, describing field reports as “heartwarming” and consistent with his administration’s timelines and projections.
Projects assessed at the meeting include the Ile-Ife flyover and dualisation, Lameco flyover in Osogbo, Ila-Orangun township dualisation, Osogbo–Ofatedo–Awo junction dualisation, Iwo township dualisation, reconstruction of the bridge linking Ilahun and Ere-Ijesa, as well as the Ibokun/Ilahun/Ere-Ijesa–Iwoye Ijesa and Otan-Ile–Esa-Odo–Iwoye Ijesa roads in Obokun Local Government Area, among others.
Governor Ademola Adeleke on Wednesday evening hosted a meeting of key state officials involved in the implementation of key mega projects in the state, describing the field reports as “heartwarming” and “in line with the timeline and projections of his government”
The projects reviewed at the meeting includes Ile Ife flyover and dualisation, Lameco flyover at Osogbo, Ila Orangun township dualisation, Osogbo-Ofatedo-Awo junction dualisation, Iwo township dualisation, reconstruction of the bridge linking Ilahun and Ere Ìjèsà as well as Ibokun/Ilahun/Ere Ijesa – Iwoye ìjèsà, and OtanIle – Esa Odo – Iwoye Ìjèsà Roads in Obokun Local Government area among others
The governor who expressed satisfaction that asphalt laying is already ongoing at Ile Ife, Iwo and Ila Orangun tasks the contractors to speed up the pace of work in all the infrastructure programmes, declaring “we must deliver as quickly as possible”
He noted that the delay in some of the projects was due to the hijacking of Osun local government funds by the court-sacked APC chairmen, explaining that the state has to shoulder the responsibility of paying local teachers, health workers, pensioners and local government workers for more than one year now.
“If Osun APC lacks conscience by diverting funds meant for local workers to their personal use, I cannot do it. I cannot abandon local workers who the court sacked APC chairmen intend to punish by criminally hijacking and diverting LG funds in open violation of local government finance laws. The workers have families and their own needs. Why should a party decides to hate and punish workers for no just reason? So the state government has been footing the bills all along.
“If we had refused to financially sustain the local workforce, local health and education services would have collapsed by now, hardship at the local level would have increased. The pain would be too much to bear for our grassroots people. So we have been using money for state projects to sustain the local workforce. Close to N300 billion of state money is trapped and hijacked by the Osun APC.
“The evil plot of the opposition was to strangulate the government so that we will abandon the projects at Osogbo, Ila Orangun, Ilesa, Ede, Ile Ife, Iwo and other areas. But they have failed in their evil endeavour. They cannot deny our people the much needed development.
“I congratulate the people of Ile Ife, Ilesa, Iwo, Ede, Osogbo, Ila Orangun and other areas. You are exiting under- development. We are sacrificing, we are denying ourselves of personal comfort to deliver ongoing projects and more for your use and greatness of your communities. We will not abandon you”, the governor noted at the meeting.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, Dr B.T. Salami briefed the governor on the various infrastructure projects and assured the governor that the speed of implementation is within the timelines previously approved.
He also narrated how the government technical team has been taking feedback from members of the public on the quality of work being done by the contractors and how remedial actions are taken immediately where necessary when such reports flow in.
“I assure Mr Governor that work is progressing on all the critical projects. Your vision for an interconnected Osun state is gradually becoming a reality”, the Commissioner was quoted as telling the governor.
