…As Public Complaints Commission Wades In
The member of the House of Representatives representing Oluyole federal constituency, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe and the Federal Comptroller of Works, Ogun State, Engr. Umar Bakare, have expressed disappointment at the poor quality of work done by DC Engineering Nigeria Limited, the contractor handling the Olomi-Ijebu road.
Hon Akande-Sadipe has therefore tasked the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, on the rehabilitation of federal roads across Oluyole federal constituency.
Akande-Sadipe said that if rehabilitated, the controversial 25-kilometee Olomi-Ijebu Igbo road, and 35-kilometre stretch of Liberty Academy road, which connects Oyo State with neighbouring Ogun State, would stimulate economic activities, attract local and foreign investment, improve the quality of road network and reduce the hardship on her constituents.
The chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs made the remarks on Sunday, when she embarked on a joint inspection of the roads with officials from the Federal Government establishments and the affected communities.
Lamenting the untold hardship commuters along the 25-kilometre Olomi-Ijebu Igbo road face on account of its deplorable condition, Akande-Sadipe also expressed displeasure at the present state of Liberty-Academy road within her constituency.
She therefore urged the Federal Ministry of Works to prevail on the construction company on the Olomi road project, Messrs DC Engineering Limited, to perform their obligation on the road in the interest of the people of the state.
She said, “We have gone round and you have seen the Olomi road. It is deplorable and completely unacceptable. The design is flawed, it has been more of a death trap and has led to several deaths and loss of property.
“How can a bridge on this kind of expanse of road not be a dual carriageway?
“I appreciate the fact that the Ministry under the leadership of Honourable Minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola, honoured our request for succour for Oluyole, as our road between Olomi and Ijebu Ode is extremely bad. The contractor, DC Engineering Limited, has done a very poor job and has been too slow after so many years, with many portions of the road un-motorable.
“The officers of the ministry should please ensure that the funds allocated are well spent and a satisfactory job delivered.”
Akande-Sadipe also lamented that other roads within the state contracted out the same time three years ago have been completed, adding that within two years, the tarred parts of the Olomi road had developed problems, pointing to the poor quality of work.
The Commissioner, Public Complaint Commission, South-West, Mr. Folawiyo, who joined the inspection, said that the commission will ensure that the issues are dealt with and the contractor called to order.
He explained that the institution has jurisdiction to oversee Federal Government, state governments and local governments projects, and would do the needful with regard to the road.
The commissioner added that the agency is set to intervene in the delayed completion, asking community to copy him in all complaints, adding that the commission will urgently assess such complaints, including those where the contractor solicited and receive money from the communities in carrying out responsibilities on the project.
In his remarks, the Comptroller, Ogun State, Mr. Umar Bakare, said the ministry has taken it upon itself to technically inspect the road, which he noted was in a very bad state.
He promised speedy delivery of the mandates, saddled upon the ministry in record time.
Thus, the inspection of the road, under the directive of the Minister for Works and Housing, Fashola will yield progress; insisting that the ministry would monitor the construction of the road and bridges, to ease the movement of traffic.
While thanking Hon. Akande-Sadipe for her interventions, he pointed at the lack of proper drainage system and link roads to communities.
Meanwhile, community members also decried the substandard job executed by DC Engineering Limited, the contractor on the site. They mentioned that the contractor skipped the Olomi market portion of the road, and abandoned the maintenance and upgrade at the Fatusi bridge end of the road.
On the other road inspected, the Liberty Academy road, in her remarks the South-West Zonal Coordinator, FERMA, Mrs. Mary Adeniran, explained that as part of its duties, the agency will see to the maintenance of federal roads within Oluyole federal constituency.
Speaking during an inspection of Liberty-Academy road, she promised to follow up with a critical inspection of the road up to the Ogun State border towards further rehabilitation of the road.
The Baale of Olomi, Chief Samuel Oyewale showered encomiums on Hon. Akande-Sadipe, appreciating her for the constant infrastructural commitments to the constituency, including provision of transformers.
Amongst issues raised was the statement made by the contractor that a former member of the House of Representative had collected money paid on the project from him. The community members clarified that the contractor had made this statement in the year 2018.
