OPINION
EKITI: OPERATION ROAD REVOLUTION BEGINS
By LERE OLAYINKA
For Engr. Segun Oni, the governor of Ekiti, a leader’s word must be his bound. Little wonder he appears to be keeping every of the promises he made to the people of Ekiti State before and after he assumed office.
Few weeks after Governor Oni assumed office, he had announced that his government would embark on what he referred to as “Road Revolution” in the state. Then, not many people took him serious. Perhaps this skepticism must have been occasioned by the failed promises of past administrations in the state. Even when contracts for the construction of a total of 26 roads totaling 350 kilometres were awarded late last year, skeptics were still not convinced of the government’s seriousness in giving Ekiti State a road network that would surpass the totality of roads constructed in the state since it was created in 1996. Even those who believed in the governor’s ability to keep his words only hoped that they would not be disappointed at the end of the day.
But a few weeks into year 2008, those who took Governor Oni’s promise on revolutionalising road construction in the state as mere political statement have started eating their words. This is because contractors have moved to site and work has commenced in earnest on the roads awarded.
In the last few days, the governor and other top functionaries of the government has been busy flagging-off the construction of the roads, hence the stark reality of the commencement of the Operation Road Revolution (ORR) in the state.
The road projects that have been flagged-off include 30km Ikere-Ise-Emure, 13.6km Emure-Supare, the 33.9km Ijan-Ise-Uso, Ijesa-Isu/Ode, Egbe-Imesi, Ikole-Ara-Isinbode, Orin-Ido, Itapa-Ijelu and Ijero-Okemesi roads.
Others are Ikole-Itapaji-Odooro-Iyemero (Kwara Boundary), Ido-Ipere-Iludun, Ayede-Gede-Omu Odo and Orin-Farm Settlement, Ado-Ifaki dualisation, Otun-Osan-Ora, Aba Temidire-Iro, Usi-Ilogbo, Igede-Ilawe and Ijan-Ise (Uso Boundary). Others are Iludun-Eda Oniyo-Obo (Ayegunle Boundary), Isinbode-Iro- Federal-Iro Oke, Odo Owa-Oke Ila Boundary and Erinjiyan-Ilawe and dualisation of Ado-Ifaki road.
The roads are to be completed within the next one year.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Governor Oni charged contractors handling the projects in the state to comply strictly with the standard set in the contract agreement in the execution of the projects. He said his administration is committed to bequeathing a road network that would stand the test of time to the state.
“We are committed to bequeathing a road network that would stand the test of time to the state and we are not making any pretence about this. The number of roads to be constructed during the first phase of our Roads Revolution Programme (RRP) would far exceed the number of roads constructed in the state in the last eight years.
During the four years of Niyi Adebayo’s administration (1999 – 2003), a total of 88.00 kilometres federal and 86.10 kilometres state roads were rehabilitated. No new roads were however constructed during the period.
The administration of Fayose (2003 – 2006) from available records, strove to surpass Adebayo’s administration in terms of roads construction and rehabilitation. A total of 218.20 kilometres of roads were rehabilitated while 91.60km of state roads and 13.7km of federal roads were constructed.
A total number of 497.60 kilometres of roads were constructed or rehabilitated between May, 1999 and October, 2006 that both Adebayo and Fayose held sway. Virtually all the roads were without stone base, as they were just surface-dressed. Most of them are now undergoing major repairs.
For instance, the contractor that handled the dualisation of Ado-Ikere was made to return to site to carry out major repair on the road late last year with over fifty percent of the road undergoing fresh asphalt overlay.
Perhaps, it was in its bid to ensure quality job that mobilisasion fee was not paid to any of the contractors. Not only that, the Chief Executive Officers of construction were made to sign ten years personal warranties.
“It is based on our resolve not to compromise standard and also prevent the projects from being abandoned. It is in the interest of our people not to pay the contractors mobilisation fee. We also obtained ten years personal warranties from the Chief Executive Officers of construction companies handling the road projects. Specific time was also given to the contractors for completion of the projects with a proviso that they would lose 10 percent of the contract fee for the number of days or months they exceeded if they derail.
“Already, the first tranche of 20 percent of the contract sum on the road projects is now ready for collection by all the contractors that have moved to site,” Oni said.
And for a governor who is passionate about the banishment of poverty from the state, the road projects are also to be used to create employments. Oni told the contractors while flagging-off the 30km Ikere-Ise-Emure; 13.6km Emure-Supare and the 33.9km Ijan-Ise-Uso roads to patronize indigenes of the various communities where the projects are sited for the supply of local materials and employment of skilled and unskilled labour, saying by doing this, the rate of unemployment and poverty would be reduced considerably.
His words; “As part of our resolve to banish poverty and unemployment from this state, I am urging the contractors to make use of indigenes of the various communities where the projects are sited as skilled and unskilled labourers and for the supply of local materials.
“By doing this, we would have reduced the rate of poverty and unemployment among our people considerably. Crime rate would also reduce because our youths would have something meaningful to do with their time.
“It is also important to advise labourers and petty contractors that will be working on the projects to save twenty percent of their wages to enable do small scale businesses after the completion of the projects and also benefit from the micro credit scheme initiated by the government.”
Also admonishing the contractors on the need to do a good job, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructures, Prince Tunji Olatunde said; “The Oni administration is determined to open up the state for economic development and prosperity. It is therefore important that contractors handling the projects do a good job to so as to compliment the efforts of the state government to provide facilities for the general well-being of the people.”
The commissioner assured the contractors of prompt payment upon delivery of quality jobs, maintaining that no payment would be made for shoddy jobs.
The contractors too are also full of praises for the government. Mr. Wale Balogun, general manager of RCF Construction Limited while assuring the government of prompt completion of jobs, said the process through which the contracts were awarded and the contractual agreement entered into were enough assurance for delivery of quality jobs.
“The process was highly competitive and tedious. We had well over 70 companies that bided for the 26 road projects. It was devoid of favouritism and undue influences. At the end, only those of us that had solid evidence of performance got the jobs.
“Again, Chief Executive Officers of the construction companies were made to give between five and ten years personal warranties to the government.
“Our company is handling the 30km Ikere-Ise-Emure road and we are sure to complete the project by September, this year, three months before the date stipulated in the agreement.”
Also expressing appreciation to Governor Oni for awarding the construction of the Odo-Oro, Itapaji-Iyemero road, traditional rulers from the three communities, Oba Ibileye Ogunsakin, Onise of Odo-Oro, Oba Azeez Adebanjo, Olu of Itapaji and Oba Agboola Ogungbemi, Olu of Iyemero during a thank you visit to the governor said the road; when completed will boast economic activities in the area. They lamented that the poor state of the 30-kilometer road had hampered economic and social development in the area.
At the pace Governor Oni is going in his quest to provide basic amenities for the people of Ekiti state, it is certain that in the next one year, things are not going to be the same again. This is because Oni’s government has not only set out to revolutionalise roads construction in Ekiti State, but has also carved a new character for governance in the State
Olayinka is a media assistant to Ekiti State Governor
Directorate of Information Technology, Ekiti State, Nigeria