By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun on Thursday disclosed that the state Executive Council has approved the rehabilitation of the 65km Moniya-Ojutaye-Iseyin Road for the sum of Six Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty Two Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Five Thousand and Seventy Four Naira, Ninety Seven Kobo Only (6,952,565,074.97).
The Commissioner who stated this in Ibadan while briefing newsmen said the project is expected to be completed in 18months and that the Executive Council also approved the 3.6 km Phase 1 Asphaltic Rehabilitation/Construction of Baptist Grammar School Junction (Idi-Ishin)-Agbofieti-All Saints College-Itafaji-Wire and Cable Junction Road Ibadan for the sum of One Hundred and Twenty Million Naira only (N120,000,000).
According to the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, the Executive council further approved the supply and installation of Solar powered Street lights along Dandaru/Parliament Road junction to secretariat Roundabout to Government House/SUBEB Junction (lot 1) at a cost of N94,607,463.89 and 110/Odo-Ona Roundabout to Liberty Road/Ring Road Roundabout Junction (lot 2) at a cost of N50,521,628.37.
The Commissioner pointed out that the cost of the two projects (lot 1 & 2) amounted to One Hundred and Forty-Five Million, One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Seven Naira, Seventy-Eight Kobo (N145,128,927.78).
He emphasized that the 65km Moniya-Ojutaye-Iseyin road was been awarded to M/S Oladiran Engineering and Trade Nigeria Limited,saying that the contractor was picked after careful evaluation for both technical and financial responsiveness by the state Consultants on Road Projects under the leadership of Reyog International Nigeria Limited.
Mr Arulogun stressed that 30% of the contract sum will be paid to the contractor as advance payment subject to the provision of an open-ended advance payment guarantee from a reputable bank.
According to the Commissioner, the road will boost both intra and intercity transport links, improve trade, drastically reduce intercity transport connection, encourage trade and investment as well as to generally bring about better socio-economic development to the citizenry”
Emphasizing ,that “this is in line with the Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s philosophy to decongest traffic at all entrances and exits to the state as part of the massive infrastructural development going on in the state.” added that the Phase 1 Asphaltic Rehabilitation/Construction of Baptist Grammar School Junction (Idi-Ishin) to Itafaji-Wire and Cable Junction will be handled through direct labour by the state Ministry of Works and Transport, assuring that the 4.0km phase of the road will be executed after the completion of phase 1.
Mr Arulogun stressed that the contract for the supply and installation of solar–powered street lights has been awarded to Messrs. Technosound Global Investment Limited, saying that the supplier will be mobilized with 60% of the contract sum and the balance of 35% paid after the successful completion of the project while the 5% Retention fee will be released after six months of defect liability, saying, all the projects were approved after due process has been followed and that the government will ensure that they are executed according to specifications and in consonance with international best practices.
