A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Omooba Dotun Babayemi has taken a swipe at the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke over what he terms as misplaced priorities.
Babayemi in a statement on Wednesday described the construction of flyovers at Oke-Fia and LAMECO as unnecessary, stating that decongesting Old Garage and widening of Station Road are more pressing that the two project.
According to the Gbongan Prince, the inner roads within Osogbo deserve attention, declaring that motorists have been moving freely in about two years that the project has commenced.
The statement reads, “the construction of the Oke-Fia and LAMECO flyovers, at the humongous costs, reflect a misplacement of priorities. Anyone who truly loves Osogbo, will prioritize traffic decongestion at the Old Garage roundabout, widening of the MDS – Oja Oba – Ilesa Garage road, and construction of arterial roads through the numerous new growth areas in Osogbo. The State Capital deserves beautiful interchanges, but at very strategic locations that make the most impact on the City.
“If indeed the Oke-Fia and LAMECO intersections were facing any serious traffic crisis, would they be passable in the last two years that the Adeleke administration has constructed the flyovers at snail speed?
“The resources being expended on the construction of both flyovers could have done a lot more for Osogbo, in the areas of functional development that will not just expand the Capital city’s urban metropolis, but also improve the quality of life of its residents. A Government that truly loves the people of Osogbo will not prioritize showboating over functional development.
“Where vital access roads into the State capital, like the Osogbo-Iwo Road, are in such deplorable states, construction of two flyovers at outrageous costs suggest a poor development agenda and must be condemned by every well-meaning citizen of Osun.
“It must be stated that the procurement process also fell very short of best practices that could have ensured value for money at optimal costs and not the drain pipes they now constitute. Projects meant for our very important capital city should not become conduit pipes.”
The governorship hopeful said he believes in development of Osogbo, promising to approach the development with transparency.
“I am a strong advocate for the overall development of Osogbo, the State capital, especially with eye-catching edifices, but I believe the approach must be transparent, practical, and holistic.”
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