Makinde halts work on project

Gov Seyi Makinde of OyoState (2nd R), briefing newsmen after inspecting Ibadan Circular Roadon Lagos-Ibadan Bypass on Thursday (31/10/2019) With him are Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa (R); Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof Oyelowo Oyewo; Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun; Commissioner for Works, Prof Raphael Afonja and others. (NAN)

Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, on Thursday ordered the immediate stoppage of work on the Ibadan-Circular Road project site located around the Lagos-Ibadan By-Pass.

The 32km road was awarded for N67billion by the immediate past administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Makinde gave the directive during an inspector tour of the site in company with top government functionaries. The project is being handled by ENL Consortium Limited.

The governor, who expressed disappointment at the level of job done so far on the site, said he was not satisfied with what he had heard and seen of the road project.

According to the terms of the contract as approved by the immediate past administration, the Ibadan Circular road project was conceived about 15years earlier with the 32.2km stretch of the project’s first phase linking Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Ibadan-Ife Expressway to gulp N70billion.

The project is being constructed on a Public-Private-Partnership plan of Build-Operate and Transfer, originally meant to be completed within 18 months.

The company handling the project, ENL Consortium Limited, according to the project details, is to source the required funds for the project and build to government specification.

But when Governor Makinde visited the site yesterday, he expressed disappointment at the level of the job done so far on the site.

He expressed shock that a project, which was awarded since 2017, was still at about 5.5 per cent completion, adding that government would pull back and review the processes before deciding on the way forward.

Makinde said: “Basically, what we saw out there wasn’t encouraging. The agreement was signed in 2017, almost three years now and the work done is at 5.5 per cent.

“Also, this is a concession to the tune of over N65billion for a 32 km road; so we just felt we needed to pull back a little bit and look at things holistically and then take a decision, moving forward.

“The committee set up to review projects had earlier submitted their report, which is undergoing review after which a white paper will soon come out.

“But that road is extremely important to the economy of Oyo State and if we are able to achieve only five per cent in three years, you can be sure of how many years it is going to take to finish up the road. It is almost three years that the project has been approved and if it continues at that pace, then you can imagine how long it is going to take to have it completed.”

Earlier, the Executive Director, ENL Consortium, Dr. Kemi George, told the governor that the company had issues with some of its financial partners who pulled out of the deal and which was responsible for the slow pace of work on the project site.

She, however, assured the governor that the company recently got other willing financiers, adding that work is now set to improve.

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