Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Fifteen years after the idea was conceived, Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi would on Friday flag off the construction of Ibadan Circular Road to enhance the socio-economic development of the ancient city.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka, disclosed this, on Wednesday.

The project, which was conceived by the administration of former Governor Lam Adesina, had suffered neglect and abandonment by successive administrations in the state.

Layinka said, “In the pursuit of his administration’s agenda to transform Oyo into a modern state of his dream, Governor Abiola Ajimobi identified the socio-economic benefits of the circular road project to the state and has diligently pursued its manifestation. In realization of this vision, the state government signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of the road through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with ENL Consortium Limited.

“The circular road, when completed, is expected to ease intra and inter-city traffic congestion, especially for Ibadan which is fast becoming an industrialized city under the current administration. The circular road will serve as a bye pass for inter-city traffic on routes outside Ibadan, while it will open a new economic corridor for controlled development in line with the Ibadan Master Plan”.

Layinka added that the road would further enhance the socio-economic life and ultimately engender better standard of living of the people.

He said it would also boost trade and commerce, enhance revenue generation as well as create employment opportunities for the teeming youth in the state.

The Adesina administration had in 2002 constituted an inter-ministerial committee for the purpose of construction of the road.

The committee had proposed a survey design towards ascertaining the cost of the project for eventual award to a contractor, which was not implemented until the end of that regime.

The contract for the survey of the road was awarded in 2005 by Adesina’s successor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, while the engineering design was awarded in 2005 and concluded in 2007.

Although the contract for the construction of the road, which was divided into two phases, was awarded to two contractors by the regime, the project was later cancelled by the Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala administration on assumption of office.

For reasons not made public, the Alao-Akala administration substituted the project with new ones which the contractors were compelled to execute, having already been mobilized for the circular road.

Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mr. Olalekan Alli has said that the huge investment by the Ajimobi administration in peace, security and safety has paid off greatly, saying that Governor’s achievements are unprecedented.

Mr. Alli said this on Tuesday while featuring on a Radio Programme, “Ajeje”, in Ibadan, noting that the governor has surpassed the previous administrations with unparalleled achievements in different sectors of governance thereby putting his successor under serious pressure.

According to him, “the state’s heavy investment in peace and security through the establishment of Operation Burst and support for security agencies in the state has paid off greatly which has led to achievements in agriculture, health, infrastructure, education, commerce and industry amongst others.”

Mr. Alli reiterated the commitment of the state government to transform agricultural practices in the State through integrated Farming, pointing out that the Government has given out 320 tractors to all the 33 Local Governments in the State to improve Agriculture in their localities and the state as a whole.

He restated that 10,000 farmers will benefit from the Oyo/Dangote N9bn partnership in Rice production, noting that the government has commenced Pace Setter Farms in Awe, Oyo State a replica of the Songhai Farm, where 210 hectares of Land have been allotted to initial 1000 youth farmers to boost the state economy.

On the provision of basic health care,  the SSG said noted that the governor recently launched an health insurance scheme which is the first of its kind by any state government in the country.

On Workers welfare, Mr. Alli noted that the Ajimobi led administration increased workers salary by 300%, paid 13 months salaries for all workers before the economic crunch, provided free Buses for Workers and students as well as increments in Housing and Car loans for workers in the state.

He noted that Governor Ajimobi also put smiles of the faces of traders through interest free loans and construction of neighbourhood markets which were allocated to traders free of charge.

Mr. Alli said that The Technical University, Ibadan, which was established by the state government, is aimed to cultivate a cadre of technical professionals, with requisite entrepreneurial skills, capable of creating businesses that would provide employment for the state’s teeming Youths.