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The Ondo Redemption Front (ORF) has called on the Ondo State Government to disclose the cost, procurement details and funding arrangements for the Akure flyover project. It also demanded greater transparency in the implementation of major infrastructure projects across the state.
The group also urged Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration to provide an update on the 28-kilometre Akotogbo Road project, following allegations that more than N1 billion released for the project was diverted into a private account.
Speaking at a press briefing, the chairman of the group, Ayodeji Ologun and co-chairman, Mogbojuri Kayode, said residents deserved verifiable information on public expenditure, project implementation and the management of the government’s resources.
It stressed that its demand for transparency was not intended to obstruct development but to enable citizens, civil society organisations and the media to assess whether public investments represented value for money.
On the Akure flyover, the group asked the state government to disclose the total contract sum, the process through which the contractor was selected, the project’s funding arrangements and its approved completion timeline.
It also requested information on project supervision, contract variations and other associated costs, arguing that major infrastructure investments should be accompanied by accessible financial and implementation records.
“Public office does not confer ownership of the state’s common patrimony; it confers a responsibility to manage that patrimony transparently and in the public interest,” the statement said.
The group cited recent comments by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during an interview with ARISE News on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, arguing that the government should explain project costs and the factors affecting them.
It stressed that where the final cost of a project remained uncertain, the government should disclose available figures, explain the outstanding uncertainties and clarify how costs would be determined and controlled.
On the Akotogbo Road project, the group said allegations concerning the handling of more than N1 billion had raised questions about the relationship between funds released and work executed.
The group said the matter was reportedly before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but acknowledged that the allegations had not been established by a court.
It called on the state government to publish details of the funds released for the road, expenditure incurred, work completed and outstanding contractual obligations. It also urged the relevant authorities to investigate the allegations thoroughly and make their findings public, subject to due process.
The ORF further expressed concern over the proposed increase in the state’s 2026 budget from N524.411 billion to N769.384 billion, which it said had been submitted to the Ondo State House of Assembly for consideration.
According to the group, the proposed budget expansion made it more important for the government to provide regular reports showing approved allocations, funds released, contractors engaged, implementation progress and expected completion dates for major projects.
It called for an accessible public implementation report covering infrastructure and other key sectors, including healthcare, education, water supply and rural roads.
The group also drew attention to concerns affecting coastal communities in Ilaje and adjoining areas, citing reports published by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) on October 16 about sea incursion and abandoned projects.
It urged the government and relevant agencies to disclose ongoing interventions, funding commitments and timelines for addressing the challenges facing the affected communities.
Beyond infrastructure, the ORF called for a lasting solution to the persistent offensive odour reported by residents in Akure and its environs.
It urged relevant agencies to identify the source of the odour, assess any potential health implications and provide a clear timeline for resolving the environmental concern.
Among its demands, the group asked the state government to publish the Akure flyover’s approved contract sum and available cost breakdown, disclose procurement procedures and relevant approvals and provide periodic updates on expenditure and construction progress.
It also sought a transparent account of spending on the Akotogbo Road, an implementation report on major projects under the 2026 budget and a clear plan for addressing sea incursion and abandoned projects in coastal communities.
It further called for improved public access to procurement records, budget implementation reports and project monitoring information, as well as a regular mechanism through which citizens and civil society organisations could obtain answers about major public investments.
The group maintained that infrastructure development should be assessed not only by project announcements and commencement ceremonies but also by transparent financial records, timely delivery and demonstrable benefits to residents.
It urged Aiyedatiwa’s administration to make relevant information available to enable the people of Ondo State to scrutinise public spending and evaluate the performance of the government’s projects.
