No Rift Between FG, Ogun over Abeokuta-Sango Road, Says SSG

James Sowole in Abeokuta-

The Ogun State Government Tuesday, said there was no dispute between it and the Federal Government on the state of the Abeokuta-Sango Ota Road, saying the state was only concern on how to make the road motorable for commuters.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tokunbo Talabi, made the clarification against comments by the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on the neglect of the road 15 years after award of contract for its reconstruction.

According to Talabi, there was  cordial relationship between the state and the Federal Government on finding a lasting solution to the deplorable condition of sections of the road.

He added that both governments in the past, had looked at some issues together and taken turns to find solutions.

“What is happening is that the road is already contracted out and so it makes it difficult to go into a contracted road. On the source of funding, in recent times, the governor had personally delivered financial options to the Minister of Works, but they said not, that it was not going to work. We made another, they said it was not going to work and we did the third. We have moved around all the agencies that can support those options and they are in line.

“We are not aware that those options are not acceptable, but it would be that the Minister had an advance knowledge of that, but that was not communicated to us. I am sure those grey areas will be sorted  out in no time.

“What I want us to know is that people find it difficult to differentiate between state and federal government roads”

Talabi said the State Government has commenced work on the bad portions of the Sango-Ota-Ijoko road to ease the suffering of commuters on the road.

According to the SSG,  reconstruction work would move towards Akute on the border with Lagos in the coming weeks. 

 He said “On that Sango-Ota-Ijoko road, there were options to use tax credit to fund the reconstruction and we found somebody with a tax credit suitable enough to fund the road. And if there is a gap, we are prepared to fill those gaps and that has been communicated to the various ministries involved. Discussions are going on between the governor and the minister and I am sure they are working towards resolving the issues.

“One thing is certain, our people are suffering. You can not delay that suffering and we are trying to ensure that bureaucracy does not stop the progress of enjoying the benefits of that road because it is a major artery of the state. Nobody will go to that road a number of times, where people are complaining, without having sympathy for those who use the road. So, it is understandable and we know that the governor will meet his own commitment by starting palliative work on that road”.

Explaining some of the steps taken to address workers and pensioners’ demands, the SSG disclosed that the state government would henceforth pay gross salary to workers beginning from July, while the N500m quarterly release to upset pensioner’s entitlements would also be sustained.

Talabi who disclosed that a total sum owed pensioners stood  between N60b to N70b, also added that the total worker’s deductions amount to about N10b, stating that the state government was working towards settling the outstanding arrears by the end of 2022.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Abdulwaheed Odusile, while briefing on the decisions taken at the State Executive Council meeting held Moday, revealed that the state government has awarded contracts for the construction of some roads across the three Senatorial districts.

Some of these roads according to Odusile include Ilaro-Owode road, Sagamu-Ikenne road, Siun-Owode road and Sagamu Round About- Iperu road.

He stated further that the state government also approved the filling of vacant stools of some traditional rulers and change of names of some.