I inherited N202bn Amosun’s debt on road construction – Abiodun

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has said that his administration inherited a total debt of N202 billion from several roads construction embarked upon by the administration of immediate past governor Ibikunle Amosun in the State.

Similarly, the governor stated that owners of all properties demolished by the past administration of former governor Amosun to pave way for roads construction and the expansion of some road projects across the State would be paid compensation as the Government had approved payment to alleviate the sufferings of those affected.

Speaking in Abeokuta on Sunday through Ade Akinsanya, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, the governor said that “Amosun embarked on massive demolition of properties across the State in his desire to expand some roads to as much as 8-lanes without paying compensation to affected owners.”

Governor Abiodun, who described the issue of demolition without compensation by the past administration as double jeopardy as many of the said roads were abandoned midway through the construction process, while others did not take off at all, assured owners of affected demolished properties of compensation that would be paid in phases.

He noted that the demolitions carried out by Amosun’s administration were unnecessary and ended up compounding the problems being faced by the present government as the State Government now has billions of compensation claims to contend with in addition to looking for another huge sums of money to complete the abandoned roads.

He however said the State Government had decided on the policy of no demolition in its project execution, except where necessary and unavoidable.

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He said the last administration had earmarked some houses for demolition preparatory to the rehabilitation of Kemta-Somorin road in Abeokuta. The project is nearing completion without any demolition carried out, he added.

“Our road design and construction is such that we try to avoid demolition. It is actual not necessary to demolish while constructing roads, unless it is actually unavoidable.

“The same thing applies to bridge construction. Most of the bridges constructed by that regime were a waste of resources. For instance, on the entire stretch of the 19kilometers Atan-Lusada-Agbara road has only one bridge. And the length is short”, he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Abiodun has been praised for his intervention in the compensation process.

A resident of Agbado, Abayomi Olanrewaju, who lost many shops to Amosun’s bulldozers, commended Governor Abiodun for his magnanimity.

He berated the last administration for subjecting people to unwarranted hardship, even as he regretted that the road had been abandoned for more than six years now that the demolition took place.
Olanrewaju, who said he depended on his shops to survive before the demolition, also disclosed that their road was better before the bulldozer moved in for the massive destruction.

Another resident, Taiwo Adebari, also expressed gratitude to the state government, noting that the compensation will help in alleviating some of their sufferings.