Civil Society Cautions Adeleke On Planned Oke-fia, Old Garage Flyover Construction

A civil society group , The Osun Masterminds, TOM, has cautioned Governor Ademola Adeleke against dipping hands into the purse of the state to construct flyovers at Oke-fia and Old Garage in the state capital, Osogbo.

The civil society group in a statement signed by it Executive Director, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli on Wednesday, said as he counselled Governor Adeleke’s predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola against the construction of the Olaiya Flyover before it was implemented it is offering the free service to the governor.

Oyedokun-Alli in the statement said again it is counselling Governor Adeleke-led government against the construction of flyovers at Oke-Fia and Old Garage areas based on the state of Osun’s finances, vis-a-vis the level of urgency of such infrastructure at the proposed locations.

TOM suggested “A simple dualization of LAMECO – Oke-Fia – Old Garage stretch of road and signalization of that stretch, will solve whatever traffic bottlenecks there may currently exist there. More specifically, traffic lights at LAMECO, Oke-Fia and Old Garage, on a dualized road, will ease every traffic congestion currently being experienced on the road.”

It, however, urged the the government to redirects the funds it will expend on constructing flyovers, to widening major roads in towns whose major roads are currently too narrow for the kind of traffic that goes through them citing towns like Ikirun, Iwo, Ilesa, Ejigbo and Ila-Orangun added that the Akoda – Oke Gada – Ido-Osun dualization that is currently going on in Ede is a template that should be replicated.

Reacting to this, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi in a statement he signed said even as the state needs to upgrade her infrastructure to achieve economic growth, the flyovers project is designed in such a way that it will not create an unbearable burden on the state.

“At the Ipade Imole coming up on October 5th, Governor Adeleke will unveil full details of dualisation of roads and flyover bridges which other towns other than Osogbo will also benefit from, all under a financially and environmentally sustainable model” Alimi noted.

He further said “Governor Adeleke is however committed to addressing the road crisis, hence the revival of the state road maintenance agency which has become more active in the last few months.”