How Aregbesola Turned Osun State To Construction Site

The Graphical Sketch of the Proposed Gbongan-Akoda Dual-carriageway

A prominent member of the immediate past administration in Osun State during the turning of sod of the construction of Osogbo East bye dual carriage way recently said it had become imperative for residents of Osogbo to ensure that they monitor the movement of their visitors who had visited them three years ago else they would get lost in transit as a result of massive road construction that has characterized the state capital and transformed it to a city to behold.

Elder Peter Babalola who was a former chieftain of the main opposition party in the State, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Chief of Staff to former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola for over seven years noted that by the time Governor Aregbesola completes his first term as governor of Osun State, the State would have witnessed a development that surpasses what has been on the ground since it was created on the 27th of August 1991.

No wonder, the traditional ruler of the ancient town, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, the Ataoja of Osogbo threw his weight and those of his subjects behind the governor and his administration over the construction going round the town when some elements wanted to whip sentiment following the demolition of illegal structures within the metropolis to pave way for the on-going developmental projects.

Aregbesola And The Emergency Flood Control in Osun

However, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has consistently reiterated his commitment to the urban renewal policy of his administration saying that he would not allow anybody or group of people to draw him back on his goal of making Osogbo a city worthy of the state capital status accorded it. He said that eight other towns in the state are also already witnessing similar experience which he insisted will transform the cities to enviable ones in the country.

The beautification drive of the present administration started with the separation of illegal structures at the heart of Osogbo, (the popular Old Garage) which used to be abode for hoodlums and a dreaded area for motorists as a result of incessant hold-up that has characterized the area for long.

However, with the separation and construction and opening up of link routes at the area now christened Freedom Park, traffic congestion become a thing of the past as vehicles can now move freely to any part of the town while criminal activities in the area have become a thing of the past.

Until the emergence of the park that now adorns the centre of the city, residents were wondering what exactly government had in the oven over the demolition of the illegal structures around the area, but with the emergence of the edifice that can accommodate hundreds of vehicles conveniently with extra space for recreation and event centre, they have been giving kudos to the Aregbesola administration.

Already government has spent N1.08billion to complete the rehabilitation of 83.66km of township roads in the six geo-political zones, and 21 roads that cover 26.35km. Osogbo township roads that will cost government N3.9billion has reached 65% completion.

Also, the on-going rehabilitation of 15 Ilesa township roads that would cost government N3.7billion has reached 65% completion.

The rehabilitation/upgrading of six selected roads across the state that has reached various degrees of completion will gulp N17.5billion. these include the 4.2km Igbajo-Oke Irun - Iresi road that has reached 44% completion, the 4.7km Gbongan – Odeyinka – Orileowu – Araromi Owu - Ajegunle road that has reached 72% completion, the 4.17km Gbongan – Osogbo – Ife - Ibadan express road junction (township) that has reached 21% completion, the 6.8km Ijebu-jesa – Iloko - Iwaraja road that has reached 28% completion, the 68km Ijebu-jesa - Ijeda Ijesa - Iloko Ijesa - Ilesa/Akure express road that has reached 50% completion and the 71.1km Ijeda Ijesa - Erinmo Ijesa road that has reached 80% completion.

The dualization of 9.52km Osogbo - Dagbolu International market - Ikirun junction/Alamisi market and the dualization of 38km Osogbo (Old Garage) - Ikirun road - Ila Odo – Erinle - Kwara boundary that will gulp N17.8billion has reached 15% and 5% completion respectively.

Construction work that has reached various degrees of completion has also commenced on 35.2km Iwo - Ejigbo road, 23km Ede – Ara - Ejigbo road, 30.7km Ede – Awo – Iragberi - Ejigbo road, 14.4km Ejigbo – Oguro - Isoko road, and the construction of 18km Osogbo East Bye Pass.

The intra city roads are not just ordinary roads as they are adorned with infrastructure that make them outstanding and beautiful in outlook as obtained in the Alekuwodo road project that has continued to wear new look every day.

Since government is supposed to be a continuum irrespective of who comes in at any given time, Governor Aregbesola’s administration has taken it upon itself to complete road projects he inherited from the administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and they have all reached appreciable degrees of completion.

These include the 5.5km Oore - Agbeye road, rehabilitation of 28.3km Ife – Famia - Akinlalu road, rehabilitation of 30km Ejigbo - Ife Odan road, rehabilitation of 20km Ede – Alajue – Aminiwon - Osu road, rehabilitation of 19.7km Osu – Iloba - Kajola road, rehabilitation of network of 20km Ikirun township road, rehabilitation of 5.3km Okuku township road, rehabilitation of 19km Ifon – Ilie – Eekoosin - Ogbomoso road and rehabilitation of 20.3km 14 Ede township roads.

While Osun Road Maintenance Agency (ORMA) has continued to carry on its responsibility of maintaining roads across the state, government has said that the construction of 58km Iwo-Osogbo road is in the pipeline.

A visit to the entire on-going road projects confirmed the submission of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Transportation, Engr. Sabitu Oladepo Amudah that Governor Aregbesola is committed to standard and quality job delivery in the execution of all projects.

On going road projects in Osun LGs

The examination of the thickness of the asphalt surface, standard reinforced concrete drainages and lane markings on all newly constructed and rehabilitated roads projects across the state testify to this claim.

Besides, government has also slated some roads for routine maintenance in this year. These roads include the 16km Osogbo - West Bye - Pass, 29km Awo – Ogbaagbaa - Iwo road, 22km Ede – Ara - Ejigbo road, 21km Inisha – Agbeye – Eekoosin - Okuku road, 44km Osogbo – Ibokun – Imesi-Ile - Ekiti State boundary road,  10km Imesi-Ile - Igbajo road, 17km Ilesa - Ifewara road, 25km Ada –Ibokun - Ikinyinwa – Ilase - Orita Idominasi road, 16.8km Ife - Ogudu road, 16.2km Ogudu - Odeyinka road, 6.5 Ipetumodu - Odeomu road and 18km Ile-Ife – Mokore – Itagunmodi – Ibodi road.

Osun State government has also directed all the 30 local government areas including the Ife East Area office to embark upon the construction of quality 10km roads in their domain and work has started on the projects across the state.

It would be recalled that Governor Aregbesola had turned the sod for the commencement of the construction of Gbongan – Akioda trumpet exchange that is expected to provide uninterruptible link with Ibadan – Ilesa expressway for traffic turning into Osogbo and those from Osogbo turning towards Ife thereby eradicating traffic interception at junction crossing.

Governor Aregbesola had told the audience at the event that the trumpet bridge was a fulfillment of his campaign promise as enunciated in his administration’s Six-Point Integral Action Plan, adding that since the inception of his administration, he had given serious attention to the development of road infrastructure across cities and towns in the State.

His words: “It is on record that the height we have attained in two years in the area of road infrastructure dwarfs what the last administration achieved in 90 months.

“Its record of constructing 553 km of roads within this period pales into insignificance when compared with the 513 km of high quality roads we concluded in 24 months”.

Speaking on his commitment to ensure massive road construction, Aregbesola noted that good roads are critical to survival because many lives have been lost to bad roads while some able-bodied individuals have remained incapacitated as a result of accident caused by bad roads.

On the bridge named after Chief Bisi Akande, the governor said: “the Trumpet Interchange Bridge at Gbongan junction will complement additional four pedestrian bridges along the motorway. The Omoluabi Motorway will be constructed with layers of asphaltic surface with 60mm and 40mm thickness”.

The method of financing the project is a replica of what obtains in other projects embarked by the government, Governor Aregbesola stated that his administration has concluded with construction company in charge to complete the project within 18months adding that the contractor has agreed to finance the road that costs N29.23billion on behalf of government with government mobilizing with 15% of the total cost to be paid in two installments.

Speaking on the infrastructural development of Osun State under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Interim National Chairman of the newly registered All Progressive Congress, (APC) Chief Adebisi Akande simply described it as ‘Miracle’.

Akande who was formerly a governor in the State noted that knowing the financial strength of Osun State, he was surprise at what is on the ground interms of infrastructural and fund consuming programmes embarked by the administration saying that to him as a person, “this development is a MIRACLE”.

However, the concern of resident is the ability of government to complete this massive projects with the limited resources at its disposal and the limited time available at least for now, but governor Aregbesola has consistently emphasized to doubting Thomases that the method of financing adopted by government has made completion assured adding that all the projects are been executed by company that has faith in the ability of government to live up to the terms of agreement based on previous experience.

SOURCE: Leadership