Oyo State Government on Tuesday says it has re-awarded the Saki Township road project which was revoked by the state Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde in August, 2020. The was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye while briefing journalists at the end of the State Executive Council Meeting.
Hon Olasunkanmi noted that the road was re-awarded to Messers Peculiar Ultimate Concern Ltd for the sum of N4.76b under the Alternative Funding Approach and it is expected to be completed in 12 months. Speaking further, he said the road was initially awarded by the immediate-past administration for the sum of N8bn while N3bn was paid to the former with no commensurate job done. His words: “this road has caused a lot of damages to the people of Saki, the residents of the town have appealed to the State Government to re-award the contract. Having examined the contract critically, the Executive Council today re-awarded it to another contractor that will complete within 12 months.”
In a related development, the Commissioner for Energy, Seun Ashamu revealed that the Executive Council resolved to award Gedu-Oroki-Sabo-Ashipa road in Oyo town to Messers Hammah Engineering Ltd for the sum of N2.9bn under the Alternative Funding Project Approach. The Hon Commissioner highlighted the mode of payment by the state government. According to him, “the contractor shall use their fund to complete the project and the state Government will repay over a period of 28 months. The contractor shall use it fund to complete the project.”
However, the State Executive Council has also resolved to forward a bill to the Oyo State House of Assembly tagged a bill of Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources 2020. This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Oyo State, Barrister Oyelowo Oyewo. He noted that the bill will revise Ministry of Energy Law of 2019. He explains that with the new development, the Ministry will become an expanded one. According to Oyelowo, “this will enable the State Government to fulfill its objectives, Visions and goals with respect to energy and mineral resources. So the name of the Ministry has further been expanded to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. So, the functions of the bill in section 4 of the 2019 law has been expanded to ensure that matters relating to energy, electricity and also the coordination with respect to inter-ministerial relationship with federal agencies.”
“Furthermore, the departments of the Ministry have created to highlight the new vision of the government. We now have departments of grid extension and urban electrification, Department of Embedded Powers, Department of Solid Minerals, Department of Oil and Gas Services, Administration and Supply, Department of Planning and Research Strategy and Department of Finance and Accounting.”
Similarly, there was an approval by the State Government to enable the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria to improve its facilities for prevention of fire accident with the purchase of one fire truck. This is in line to meet up with the vision of Oyo state Government to upgrade Ibadan Airport