Abiodun threatens to take over Sango/Ota-Abeokuta road, gives FG two weeks 

…sacks contractor handling Owode-Iwoye road

By Olayinka Kolawole, Abeokuta

Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has threatened to take over the reconstruction of Sango/Ota-Abeokuta Road in two weeks if the Federal Government fails to fix it within that period.

The governor also ordered the sacking of RAJCOM Construction Company, handling Owode-Iwoye road in Ogun West Senatorial District.

Abiodun inspected the 52.5 kilometers Sango-Ota- Abeokuta Road on Saturday, and noted that the takeover had become necessary after Ogun and Lagos state governments made frantic efforts several times to draw the attention of the Federal Government, through the office of the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to the bad shape of the road without any positive response. 

The governor who expressed worry over the hardship motorists are being subjected to on the road declared that his administration will not fold its arms and allow its citizenry to continue to suffer due to the negligence of the authority in charge of this road.

“If after two weeks, the Federal Government refuses to commence work on this road, I will take it over and reconstruct it,” he said.

While appealing to the people of the state, particularly those living along the road to be patient, the governor informed that the reason behind the inspection was to examine the level of infrastructural development in Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts with a view to ascertain the level of damages done to some of the major roads in the areas so as to fashion out the best way towards their reconstruction. 

He observed that the road awarded to Julius Berger about 15 years ago had been abandoned making it impassable, saying that despite the various palliatives being carried out on the road, some of the blue chip companies located along the road had failed to support the efforts of the government through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

He assured that the state government would continue to prioritise the welfare of the people of the state in line with his promises during the last governorship campaign.

Abiodun explained that, Ogun State government has terminated the contract awarded to RAJCOM Construction Company, for the reconstruction of Iwoye-Owode road in Yewa South Local Government Area over low pace of work.

He made the announcement while inspecting the 25.4 Kilometres road.

The governor expressed disatisfaction over the level of job done by the company and directed the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CECCC) to take over the reconstruction of the entire road from Ilaro to Owode-Yewa

He explained that as part of the efforts to fast-track the re construction effort, the road was initially divided into two parts with Ilaro to Iwoye awarded to CECC, while the remaining half from Iwoye to Owode-Yewa was given to RAJCOM Construction Company.

The governor stated that CECCC had succeeded in keeping to its promise by expediting action on its own part of the road, while RAJCOM had failed to live up to expectations.

While describing the road as important not only to the people of Yewaland, but the whole state, the governor assured that the Operations manager of the CECCC has promised that the asphalting of the road would commence in two weeks’ time in order to relief the people of harrowing experience of passing through on the road 

Thanking the people for their support to the current administration, the governor urged the people of the area to cooperate and support the contactor handling the project for timely completion of the project.