BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday, commissioned the second phase of the dualization of Osogbo-Ikirun-Ila Odo (Kwara State boundary) road with fanfare.
The 10.5kilometre road which started from Osogbo Steel Rolling Company to Okanlawon Petrol Filling Station was completed within 48 days of the assumption of office of Governor Adeleke.
Residents of Ikirun and its environs could not hide their joy as they commended the governor for meeting their yearnings as regards the completion of the road whose first phase was started by the government of Rauf Aregbesola.
At the official commissioning in Ikirun, Adeleke said there wouldn’t be speed breakers on the road and promised to construct a pedestrian bridge in the heart of the road.
He said, “This Government has been able to meet the yearnings and aspirations of her citizens for a good road linking Osogbo – Ikirun within her first 100days in office. This road project commenced on 9th January, 2013 under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, with the First Phase from Old Garage to Osogbo Steel Rolling Company which was commissioned on 19th November, 2018. The immediate past Governor being a member of the same political party with his predecessor, paid a lip service to the project at the detriment of the entire populace of Osun State.
“There is no gainsaying, my administration commenced about 100 days ago and I made a covenant with God and the people of Osun State that all the meaningful on-going projects embarked upon by the previous administration would not be abandoned, but would be completed in record time. Today’s event heralds a clear testimony of my covenant. I am further assuring you today that another phase of this project will commence immediately.
“I therefore want to use this project as a proof to assure the entire people of Osun State about my administration’s commitment to the accelerated infrastructure development across the nooks and crannies of the state. It is no more news that my administration had commenced other twelve (12) road projects across the State, provision of borehole in all the 332 Wards across the State and renovation of all the hospitals across the State in the last 100days. It is therefore my sincere prayer that the road users within and outside Osun State shall appreciate this laudable effort. I urge our people to desist from any act capable of undermining this road and others.
“In the same vein, the social wellbeing and businesses of everyone on the road corridor is anticipated to receive a boost in no distant time. In conclusion, I wish to use this opportunity to implore the residents of the affected areas as well as the entirety of the citizenry of Osun State to come to the aid of the Government in protecting all infrastructure development vandalization. It should be noted that indiscriminate dumping of refuse on waterways is a very serious crime that the Government shall not take lightly. It should be emphasized that when the waterways are silted up as a result of the carefree attitude of the road users, the road becomes prone to erosion and premature failure,” Adeleke said.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman/CEO of
Sammya Nigeria Ltd, the contractor that handled the road project, Sammy Adigun, said the federal government road is key to development adding that the second phase was completed within 48 days.
According to Adigun, “The Osogbo- Ikirun – Ila odo Road which we are commissioning today and which Sammya Nig Ltd is privileged to be the Contractor is a very very important Arterial Road Infrastructure to Osun state. The Road connects the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria and interconnects 3 states and about 6 Local Government Areas, several Towns and villages.”
