A member of House of Representatives, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe and the Federal Comptroller of Works in Ogun State, Engr. Umar Bakare have expressed disappointment at the poor quality of work done by the contractor handling Olomi-Ijebu Ode road.
Akande-Sadipe, who represents Oluyole federal constituency at the green chamber made her feelings known over the weekend, when she embarked on a joint inspection of the road with officials of Federal Government establishments and members of the affected communities.
The federal lawmaker lamented the untold hardship commuters along the 25km Olomi-Ijebu Igbo road face on account of its present deplorable condition. While also expressing her displeasure at the present state of Liberty-Academy road within her constituency, she tasked the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on the rehabilitation of federal roads across her constituency.
Akande-Sadipe said that if rehabilitated, the 25km Olomi-Ijebu Ode road and 35km stretch of Liberty-Academy road which connect Oyo State with neighbouring Ogun State, would stimulate economic activities, attract local and foreign investment, improve the quality of road networks and reduce the hardship on her constituents.
She said: “We have gone round and you have seen the Olomi road, it is deplorable and completely unacceptable. The design is flawed, it has been more of a death trap and has led to several deaths and loss of property.
“How can a bridge on this kind of expanse of road not be a dual carriageway.I appreciate the fact that the ministry under the leadership of Honourable Minister Raji Fashola honoured our request for succour for Oluyole, as our road between Olomi and Ijebu Ode is extremely bad. The Contractor, DC Engineering Limited has done a very poor job and has been too slow after so many years, with many portions of the road unmotorable.
“The officers of the ministry should please ensure that the funds allocated are well spent and a satisfactory job delivered,” she said.
Akande-Sadipe, who is the Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, also lamented that other roads within the state contracted out the same time have been completed.
The lawmaker added that within two years, the tarred parts of the Olomi-Ijebu Ode road had developed problems, pointing to the poor quality of work done by the contractor.
Speaking, the Comptroller of Works in Ogun State, Bakare, said the ministry has taken it upon itself to technically inspect the road, which he noted was in a very bad state.
He promised speedy delivery of the mandates saddled upon the ministry in record time, which he claimed necessitated the inspection of the road, under the directive of the Minister for Works and Housing, Raji Fashola.
According to him, the ministry would monitor the construction of the road and bridges to ease movement of traffic.
The Commissioner, Public Complaint Commission in the South West, Mr. Folawiyo Bello, who joined in the inspection of the roads, said that the Commission will ensure that the issues raised are dealt with.
He explained that the Commission has jurisdiction to oversee projects being done by the federal government, state governments and local governments, adding that it would do the needful regarding the road.
The Commissioner added that the agency is set to intervene, asking the community to send all their complaints to him.
Bello further said that the commission will assess such complaints, including those where the contractor solicited and receive money from the communities in carrying out responsibilities on the project.
The Baale of Olomi, Chief Samuel Oyewale showered encomiums on Akande-Sadipe, appreciating her for the constant infrastructural commitments to the constituency, including provision of transformers.
While thanking Akande-Sadipe for her interventions, he pointed at the lack of proper drainage system and link roads to the communities.
Also, members of the communities have decried the sub-standard job executed by DC Engineering Limited, the contractor handling the project.
They claimed that the contractor skipped the Olomi market portion of the road, and abandoned the maintenance and upgrade at the Fatusi bridge end of the road.
On the Liberty-Academy road, South West Zonal Coordinator of FERMA, Mrs Mary Adeniran explained that as part of its duties, the agency will see to the maintenance of federal roads within Oluyole federal constituency.
She promised to follow up with a critical inspection of the road up to the Ogun State border.
