Governor Adeleke Orders Immediate Rehabilitation of Olaiya Bridge
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
Ahead of the commissioning of the newly completed Okefia Flyover Bridge, Governor Ademola Adeleke has ordered the immediate rehabilitation of the Olaiya Bridge in Osogbo, citing the need to restore the ageing structure.
The governor issued the directive on Sunday after inspecting the bridge, where he expressed dissatisfaction with its current condition and instructed the Osun State Ministry of Works to commence rehabilitation without delay.
According to a statement signed by the Governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke directed the ministry to assess the bridge, clean the surroundings, repair any identified defects and ensure it aligns with the standard of the recently completed Lameco and Okefia flyover bridges.
“The Ministry of Works should immediately act on this Olaiya Bridge. Let us clean it up. It is a state asset. We must ensure its proper maintenance. This should be done before we commission the Okefia Bridge,” the governor said.
Adeleke stressed that public infrastructure should be preserved irrespective of the administration under which it was constructed, describing continuity in governance as essential to sustainable development.
“I believe government is a continuum. All inherited projects are being completed by our government, and all completed projects by previous administrations must be appropriately maintained,” he added.
The governor’s directive comes as the state government intensifies preparations for the commissioning of the Okefia Flyover Bridge, one of the major road infrastructure projects executed by the Adeleke administration.
The rehabilitation of the Olaiya Bridge is expected to improve its structural condition and appearance while preserving an important public asset that serves thousands of motorists and commuters in Osogbo daily.