Oyo government vows to recall road contractors to site over shoddy jobs

Oyo State government yesterday said that it would summon road contractors of the immediate past administration of Senator Abiola Ajimobi to site over what was termed ‘shoddy jobs’ across the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Works and Transport, Prof. Raphael Afonja, disclosed this during an inspection tour of Taki and Odo-Oru-NEPA roads in Ogbomoso Township.

Afonja expressed displeasure at what he called the state of the roads constructed by the previous administration, which he said, were already dilapidated under two years and less because they were not properly planned and constructed to stand the test of time.

“The roads were not designed properly for the purpose they are meant to serve and as such, the failure of the roads is of great concern to us. Therefore, we will look for the contractors that did the road works and bring them back to the site to complete the jobs or be made to refund government money back to its coffers.

“The inspection of the roads was to yield to calls made by people for government’s intervention on the roads. And as a responsive government, we owe the people the responsibility to come and see things for ourselves and proffer possible solutions.

“We are assuring the people of Oyo State that any road construction project embarked upon by the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration will stand the test of time to serve as an example to others.”

The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, tasked the federal and the state governments on speedy completion of both the federal and state roads in Ogbomoso axis, charging them to also construct roads of good standards to make life easy for road users.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it was ready for the governor.

Speaking with The Guardian in Ibadan yesterday, the Oyo State Publicity Secretary of the party, Dr. Abdulazeez Olatunde, pointed out that the Abiola Ajimobi-led administration did its best in line with the global practice.

Olatunde, who maintained that the Seyi Makinde-led government was only chasing shadow, said: “Let them keep chasing the shadow. They are not prepared for governance. We are ready for them. The APC-led government by Senator Abiola Ajimobi did its best in the global practice.

“On the Circular Road, no kobo of Oyo State was involved. It was not easy to get these things done without a kobo. It calls for commendation.

“They are not prepared for governance. We are watching them. Why did Governor Makinde make himself the Chairman of Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project?”

In another development, Governer Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged parents to give their children a good education and train them to be great in life.

Makinde gave the advice yesterday during the 80th birthday Holy Communion service for his mother, Mrs. Abigail Omojolagbe Makinde, at Oyo State Government House Chapel, Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital.

The governor described the celebrant as a precious mother and friend from whom he has inherited some qualities.

He said: “To have her growing up, she is blunt to a fault. She will say it the way it is and think I took a little bit about it.

“We must train the children and give them a good education. We can only see the present. We don’t know what they can become in the future. So, we must train them, give them a good education and everything that is required so that they can turn out to be very great.”

In his sermon, Rt. Rev. (Dr.) David Ademola Moradeyo, who prayed for the celebrant for good health, said birthday is a time to reflect and plan for the future.