‘Why Gov Adeleke Banned Heavy Duty Trucks from Olaiya Bridge’

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has banned heavy duty trucks and trailers from plying Olaiya Bridge to ensure public safety, adding however that there is no decision to demolish the bridge.

The decision was also a resolution of the State Security Council meeting whose members raised the alarm over recent influx of trailers and heavy duty trucks on the state roads. Public safety was the primary and secondary motivation behind the decision.

Responding to allegations of political bias by some leaders of the opposition, the spokesperson to the state governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, in a statement said the governor has a sacred duty to take steps to secure public assets and residents, especially in the face of two major developments in the last few weeks.

He said: “Several technical reports have been submitted to the governor on the deteriorating state of some sections of the bridge in recent times. As early as January, some public interest engineers approached the government to conduct an integrity test on the bridge. Similar conclusion was reached recently during a technical visit to the state by some national leaders of the construction industry.

“Several state leaders have also visited and examined the bridge with a verdict of urgency of action to preserve the assets while at the same time ensuring public safety. Members of the public can also conduct similar visits on top and around the bridge.

“While the technical review is ongoing, a new development in the transport sector warranted a preemptive action to limit load burden on the bridge. Due to road closure at the  Ibadan-Ogbomoso axis, more heavy duty trucks now use Osun roads mostly passing through the bridge. Banning those trailers foreclosed any untoward happenings.

“I also want to inform the opposition that it was at the State Security Council meeting composed of security services commanders that the safety issue around Olaiya bridge was raised and resolution taken. All actors genuinely acted in the interest of the public without political bias.”

In a statement, Rasheed posited that Governor Adeleke has no time for petty politics as insinuated, noting that “a man building a multi-billion naira sectoral state infrastructure is too large-hearted to worry about under-performance of recent past.”