…Approves N1.3bn UBEC counterpart fund, N1bn to Alayande varsity
By Adeyinka Adeniran
In line with promises to embark on reconstruction of inner city roads, the Oyo state government has awarded contracts for the asphaltic improvement of 12 selected roads in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital city making up a total of 84.74km.
The Commissioner for Public Works and Transportation, Professor Dahud Sangodoyin made the discloses during a press briefing, saying the decision was part of resolutions reached at the state executive council meeting.
The Nation reports that barely two weeks ago, Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde had promised to kick-start the rehabilitation and reconstruction of internal roads in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
This is as the governor also approved the payment of N1.3billion as counterpart funding for the UBEC and another N1billion for the take off of the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education which recently got accreditation for some of her courses.
Speaking, Professor Sangodoyin said, the projects which will be executed in Lot 1 and 2 will be handled by different contractors including Messrs KOPEK, RATCON Construction Company Ltd, Messrs Peculiar Ultimate Concerns Ltd and Craneburg Construction Company.
He added that several other roads were also approved for rehabilitation and maintenance by the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) at the cost of N553,604,734.3 for a duration of three months.
Giving an updates on the 110 kilometres Senator Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road Project, the Works Commissioner noted that bridges and interchange on the project have reached over 90 per cent completion, while the state excos at the Council meeting approved the commencement of the 32km road infrastructure component of the project, awarded to Messrs Craneburg Construction Company Limited and Messrs KOPEC Construction Company Limited.
Also speaking at the briefing, the state’s Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, declared that the state government had approved the release of its share of the sum of N2,791,569,918.28 on the 2023 Federal Government UBEC-OYOSUBEB special intervention counterpart fund.
He said the state government would pay the sum of N1,395,784,949.19 for the construction and rehabilitation of education infrastructure, among other projects, while the Federal Government through UBEC would also release the sum of N1,395,784,959.14.
Dr. Olatunbosun added that the state government had equally approved the release of N1 billion for facility upgrade and take off grant for the seamless operation of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo.
The Tourism and Culture Commissioner also stated that the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) had given global status to the annual Sango Festival as a world heritage after 25 years of applying, while acknowledging that the festival will now impact on tourism potentials and attract investors into the state
Sangodoyin said: “We considered and approved five briefs in the area of infrastructure. They are asphaltic rehabilitation of some roads in Ibadan, which will be handled by Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA).
“The roads OYSROMA will work on include U.I junction to Agbowo linking Ojoo–Iwo road expressway with a spur to Preboye’s world, which is 2.3km; Sango-Eleyele road, which is 10.6km; Zion Plaza, Olusoji Avenue linking Alao Akala expressway, which is 1.25km; a culvert at Eleyele/Ologuneru road junction; Eleyele roundabout, Water Corporation, Eruwa Garage road, which is 0.63km.
“Also, we considered the brief on the asphaltic improvement/rehabilitation of selected roads in Ibadan. The brief is in two parts – Lot 1 and Lot 2, which have a cumulative of 12 roads. Lot 1, which is 70.45km, consists of 10 roads and the Council approved the award to Messrs KOPEC Ltd at a contract sum of N24.8bn for 12 months.
“Lot 2 of this road is awarded to RATCON Construction Company. It has 12 roads of 14.30km at a contract sum of N1.88bn for a duration of six months. The summary is that we approved Lot 1 and Lot 2 of 12 roads with a total of 84.75km for Ibadan feeder roads.
“Lot 1 for Ibadan feeder roads has 10 roads on that axis; Oshuntokun – Housing Corporation – Elewure – Awolowo junction and it is 2.99km. The second road on that Lot 1 is Aare junction-Ashi, along Bodija road, which is 3.48km; Bodija-Oju-Irin-Ashi-Basorun with a spur to Ojoo, which is 3.45km; reconstruction of U.I (Preboye junction)-Bodija market- Secretariat road-Beere roundabout dual carriageway, 15.53km; Government House-NTA junction-Ikolaba-JAMB office-Officers Mess-Federal Secretariat-Custom office dual carriageway, 6.13km; Queens Cinema-Dugbe-Sango-Trans Amusement park junction and 11.74km dual carriage way.
“Others are the construction of Molete (under bridge)-Oke Ado-Oke Bola-Queens Cinema-Dugbe dual carriage way, 9.3km; Iyaganku-7th Day Adventist Church-Oke Bola junction-Olubadan stadium junction-Vale College-NUJ Press Centre junction with spur to Total filling station-Radio Nigeria-Kobiowu Estate-Akinyemi Junction-Ring Road, 3.85km; dualisation of Mile 10-Ring road-Mobil-Challenge car park, 8.5km; General Gas junction-Kolapo Ishola-Iyana Church with spur to Dizzengorf, 5.48km. The total length of Lot 1 is 70.45km.
“For Lot 2, we have two roads, which are the reconstruction of Bus Stop-Gate-Oje-Beere-Ojaaba-Molete (under bridge) dual carriageway, 10.8km and Oke Adu-Ode Aje- Aremo-Orita Aperin, 3.5km. The total length of Lot 2 is 14.3km.”
He added further that the Exco gave the Ministry of Finance the go-ahead to negotiate the terms and conditions of a N150bn AFREXIMBank and Access Bank facility, which will be spent to finance the Circular Road, which will be concessioned, upon completion, to generate revenue for the state.
The Public Works Commissioner equally noted that the state government also approved the supply and installation of smart led solar-powered streetlight along Agodi Gate-Adegbayi, along Old-Ife road, Ibadan and the extension of smart LED streetlight along New Garage-Akala Expressway-Kuola-Bembo road-Conoil, along Apata, Ibadan to Abeokuta Expressway.
The roads to be handled by OYSROMA include U.I junction to Agbowo linking Ojoo–Iwo road expressway with a spur to Preboye’s world (2.3km); Sango-Eleyele road (10.6km) Zion plaza, Olusoji Avenue linking Alao Akala expressway (1.25km); a culvert at Eleyele/Ologeneru road junction; Eleyele roundabout, Water Corporation, Eruwa Garage road (0.63km).
In her presentation, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Toyin Balogun, said that 692 residents of Ajia community in Ona-Ara Local Government Area of the state, whose 100 hectares of land were acquired by the state government for an Air Force Base, a general hospital and an ICT centre, will receive compensation to the tune of N645 million. She added that the compensation passed through a diligent screening process.
Giving an update on the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER), the state’s Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, said 526 residents have so far benefited from the SAfER loan scheme to the tune of N152,475,000 across the geopolitical zones of the state.
Also giving a briefing on the State Exco meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the state government approved the establishment of the Oyo State Rule of Law Authority, which will guide citizens and residents of the state to be law-abiding.
