Adeleke’s epileptic, inferior solar streetlights,By Waheed Adekunle

I am not surprised that the much-touted solar streetlights erected in selected areas particularly in the state capital, Osogbo, by the incumbent government led by Senator Ademola Adeleke have been returning to the maker due to inherent substandard and poorly made capacity.

It is obvious to sight and clearer to senses by whoever resides in the state to see the palpable maladroitness in the current government which has further culminated into the epileptic solar streetlight project executed by the Governor Adeleke led-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.

It is on record that it took the Osun State government more than two years in office after series of empty boastfulness before coming up with the faulty street lights that have become a subject of ridicule. No one forgets in a jiffy how Governor Adeleke emphatically stated that he would install standard streetlights as a way of lightning up the state but shamefully, the end has justified the means.

The poorly made and abysmally erected poles have become a cynosure of all eyes whenever their is heavy rainfall or strong winds as some of these poles engage in physical combat with winds for survival. Many of these poles had collapsed and bowed to wind several times due to the substandard materials used to produce them.

It is quite unfortunate that the Adeleke government which removed the old quality poles out of political vendetta, could replace them with substandard ones having expended millions of naira on the audio project. The question to ask Governor Adeleke is, where are the old strong poles removed from the streets? Why did the government chose inferiority above quality? Who are the contractors handling this project ?

Back to the epileptic solar lights, strolling on some of the streets in Osogbo last night exposed me to the abysmal state of Osun street solar lights which the government expended millions of naira on to install. It is disheartening and ridiculous that the solar lights project that was unveiled in less than six months have been showing signs of deficiency.

Going through Ogo-Oluwa via Olaiya spur Old-Garage-Ayetoro-Ota-Efun and down to Okefia-Lameco roads, the faulty solar lights are worrisome. Aside the poorly erected and installed poles in other parts of the state, some of those within the state capital are cynosure of all eyes and a glaring example of substandard project. It is ridiculous that solar lights handsomely funded with public funds have gone epileptic. Apart from poor illumination occasioned by poor lightning, some of the dual-light poles have turned to single-light poles while some didn’t work at all.

There are 12-13 poles from popular iconic Olaiya flyover to the Old Garage and same figure between the Old-garage and Okefia via Lameco, alas! The situation seems to be the same. A trip from the Old Garage to popular Ota-Efun via Kobongbogboe along Dagbolu-Ikirun road will expose one to the reality.

Meanwhile, the questions agitating the minds are: who is or are the contractors that executed the poor job? When were the street solar lights installed that have begun to develop fault in less than six months? How much did the state government spend on the project for us to be experiencing this just within six months of installation?

It is quite unfortunate that Osun State is subjected to this type of poorly-executed street lightning project. The project is haphazardly done and it is regrettably disheartening that we have a government that relishes in making poorly-executed projects the hallmark of its wobbled administration.

May God heal our land!