As 65KM Moniya-Ijaye-Ojutaye-Iseyin Commissioned
The Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde has explained why his government awarded the Moniya-Ijaye-Ojutaye-Iseyin road project N2.9bilion higher than the N7billion cost awarded by the immediate past government that was revoked.
The governor vowed that part of N6 billion being spent on Ologuneru-Eruwa road project will be retrieved from the contractor just as a he collected a sum of N1 billion from Moniya-Iseyin road contractor.
He gave the assurance during the commissioning of the 65KM Moniya-Ijaye-Ojutaye-Iseyin road on Thursday.
Makinde said his government awarded the total reconstruction of this 65km road done at N9.9bilion, translating to N152million per kilometer, with the contractor, KOPEK Construction assuring of 20 years before any major rehabilitation is done.
The governor explained that project amount was increased because his administration wanted a road that will last at least 10years hence decided to increase the stubbing course of the road from about 150mm to about 200mm, changed the asphaltic wearing course from 40mm to 50mm and made adequate provision for drainage.
Makinde knocked the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi led government for awarding the road project for N7billion under what it termed “limited rehabilitation” where N2billion was given out to one Oladiran Associate and the project never made good progress.
Describing the “limited rehabilitation” term by the past government as an avenue to patch and embezzle money, Makinde said his administration retrieved N1billion out of the N2billion that the Oladiran Associate received for the road project.
“The immediate past government have a language they use when they want to embezzle money. The word they use is limited rehabilitation. So a contract for limited rehabilitation of the road was awarded for about N7billion. Before we came, they had paid N2billion and they awarded the project to one Oladiran Associate. They did not take the project beyond just nearby bridge there for over two years and collected N2billion. But I collected N1billion out of that N2billion the last government paid.
“When we awarded the project for N9.9billion, they went to town saying that we awarded the project at an amount higher than the N7billion that they did. They used the same language of limited rehabilitation to award the Ologuneru-Eruwa road. I was there yesterday and you can see their limited rehabilitation. They paid N6billion for that road but as I collected N1billion for the Moniya-Iseyin road, I will also collect back some money spent on the Ologuneru-Eruwa road.
“We factored that the road will last for at least 10years but the Managing Director of KOPEK is here and they gave me a guarantee of 20years on this road. I will hold them accountable.
“So, for this reason, we decided to increase the stubbing course of the road from about 150mm to about 200mm and we also changed the asphaltic wearing course from 40mm to 50mm. Looking at the initial design, we also realized that there was inadequate provision for drainage. So, we had to remedy that too.
“The original contract was for what they called limited rehabilitation. This is just a fancy way of saying they would patch the road. They would look at those areas that they felt were bad and do some rehabilitation works. For us, this was flawed logic.
“We knew this would only amount to kicking the ball forward. In a year or so, we would be back to doing major rehabilitations. So, with all the available data, we decided that the more logical thing to do would be to increase the contract sum by about N2.9billion naira and deliver the quality of road that our people deserved.
“What we have done here is the total reconstruction of this 65km road at N9.9bilion and this translates to N152million per kilometer. So, again, based on science, data and logic, we made the best decision overall.”
