NMA boss flays Akeredolu over N5b Ore bridge

It is better than its contemporaries, says Ondo gov
President of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Dayo Faduyile, has faulted the N5 billion interchange bridge at Ore, saying it would cause more transportation problems than it was purposed to solve.

Faduyile said this during an interactive session with journalists in Akure where he declared his ambition to contest the October 10, 2020 Ondo State governorship election under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him, it is inappropriate for any government to construct a single carriageway in a 21st century, adding that the volume of traffic on the road requires dual carriageway.

Faduyile, who decried the cost of the bridge as declared by the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration, said that the single carriageway would not meet the needs of the purposed industrialisation.

“How can any sincere and serious government build a single carriageway bridge and believe it will meet up the industrial drive and prospect of the area in the nearest future?

“Even as it is, we don’t need a prophet to predict the imminent transport problems that will happen on the bridge, let alone when bitumen, seaport, industrial hubs and others fully begin operations,” he said.

But Akeredolu said the Ore flyover bridge, which he christened: “Freedom Bridge,” was a promise made and fulfilled to the people during his campaign in 2016, adding that the bridge was not in any way substandard.

“We told the people that we will do it and we have done it. What I will tell the people of the state is that it is not by putting median on a bridge that makes it a dual carriage.

“What we have on the flyover is that we designed it in a way that when a car breaks down, other cars can run without hindrances. It is as good as a three lane. Go and look at the ones we have at Mokola in Ibadan, the one in Ore is wider.”

He justified the cost of the bridge on the involvement of the Federal Government and other thoroughbred consortium of engineers, assuring that it would adequately serve the industrialisation drive and infrastructural deficit in the nation.

“I can assure you, the Federal Government is thorough in a lot of respect. It approved that flyover. We submitted our drawing and every other thing. They came and checked it and that even delayed the work there.”