The Osun State House of Assembly is set to put in place measures to facilitate the revitalisation of the abandoned Federal Government projects of over 20.318 billion Naira in the state.
At the plenary on Wednesday, the Deputy Speaker, Akintunde Adegboye who presided over the sitting at the Osun state House of Assembly in Osogbo, the state capital said, while the government should be written to pursue the abandoned roads at the federal level, a representation would be made to the National Assembly to ensure budgetary provision.
The pronouncement of the parliament followed the alarm, earlier raised at the plenary by Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye representing Obokun Constituency, over the abandoned federal projects of about 20.318 billion Naira in the state ranging from road infrastructure, water scheme and housing.
During the appearance of the relevant officials of the federal and state government ministry and agencies to give status reports on the projects, Hon. Oyintiloye said the affected road projects costs 16.519 billion Naira, housing costs 2.955 billion Naira and water scheme costs 844.342 million Naira.
He identified the dualisation of Mayfair junction-Lagere-Iremo-Enuwa-Ilesha bye pass road in Ile-Ife (22km), Gbongan-Iwo-Oyo S/B Road (46km), rehabilitation of Oshogbo-Ilesha road (27km), rehabilitation of Oyan Township pipeline and Iwo Township Water Supply Scheme among others.
Noting that on the list of beneficiary states in terms of Federal Government projects, Osun is one of the states at the lowest ebb, regretting that many of the little given to the state were still being abandoned.
” The revitalisation of the projects would enhance job creation, compliment the efforts of the state in ensuring good road network, ensure that clean water is available and enhance the efforts of the government in improving its revenue.” he added.
“It is so unfortunate that Osun is really not benefiting so much from the Federal Government, the little which should also serve to cushion the representation of the Federal Government in our state is also at an abandoned stage, we need to do all that we can to make them resume work here so that the dividends of democracy can get to our people too” he stressed.
Also, Hon. Kamardeen Akanbi representing Ede North constituency identified Akoda-Ede-Airport-Osogbo road as one of the roads in a very deplorable condition calling on the House to prevail on the relevant agencies of government to attend to the road and such other roads across the state.
Responding to issues raised by members on the abandonment and deplorable condition of federal projects in the state in their various constituencies , the Federal Controller of Works, Engineer Wasiu Atitebi said, a number of contractors handling some of the federal road projects were being owed, forcing them to leave the sites.
According to him “it is not a happy thing for us that most of the projects are all at abandoned stages, we have been trying to fix everything but funds have not been available and even the contractors working with us are still being owed, owing to the economic situation in our country .
The Gbongan-Iwo road, Ogbomosho/Oko/Ilobu/Ifon/Osogbo road and Osogbo-Ilesa road as some of the projects which work has resumed, adding that the contractor handling the construction of bridge over River Erinle in Ilie has also been re-mobilised.
The representative of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engineer Isaac Ayodele expressed displeasure over the deplorable condition of federal roads in the state, saying, the paucity of fund had contributed to the situation.
According to him, “Osun FERMA had prepared an estimate of 6 billion Naira for the maintenance of about 20 roads in the 2016 budget, but only two of roads were captured in the budget.
“But we are not resting on our oars, all efforts are in top gear to ensure that the ones not captured in the budget as capital projects are carried out through direct labour from FERMA.” he said.
Representing the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), Mr Adekunle Ogunnubi said, majority of the water project by the authority were constituency project facilitated by federal lawmakers.
He said, lack of capacity to continue with some of the water projects have propelled the authority to transfer same to the state government for completion.
The representative of General Manager, Osun Water Corporation, Engineer Odejide Asafa confirmed that the OORBDA had abandoned some of the water projects, leaving the state to complete them.
He added that the state and the OORBDA have on many occasions disagreed on the level of completion of some of the water projects, saying, some of the projects have not served the purpose of giving people clean water..
