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Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo State Executive Council on Tuesday re-awarded Ibadan-Iseyin Road for M9.9billion to redress the challenges of moving farm produce from Oke-Ogun area to Ibadan, the state capital.
The road was re-awarded more than two months after it was revoked from the former contractor that handled the contract for the former administration in the state for N7billion.
Commissioner for Works and Transport in the state, Prof Raphael Afonja, disclosed this when he briefing journalists at the end of the state executive council meeting held on Tuesday.
Besides, the state executive council, according to Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Dahud Sangodoyin, has approved N170million for production of 100,000 compendium of past questions of senior secondary school certificate examinations that will span 10 years for public and private schools in the state to improve their performances in SSCE, adding that “The financial implications on the production of the compendium is N1, 700 per copy which is makes a total of N170million for 100,000 copies.”
According to Afonja, the earlier contract for the road was terminated by the governor due to “the inconsistency and the underperformance of the other contractor that was disengaged from the past administration.
“I must say that one of the things that was captured in the approval process is that this road would be completed in 12months. We have selected a contractor that will be carrying out this project in the person of KOPEK and we are hoping that by the end of the week they will mobilise to site and start work. So, we look forward to getting this road completed by this time next years.
“The Moniya-Ijaye-Iseyin Road is not a federal road but a state road, but Oyo-Iseyin Road is a federal road.”
Afonja stated that the new contract was awarded for N9,939, 702,66.53k, saying: “The question that might arise is that the initial award that was terminated was approximately N7billion. However, we have reviewed the design to make sure that the road constructed for this important food basket of the state has quality.
“We made some changes into the design, we increased the stobbing cause from about 150mm to about 200mm. We also changed the ashphaltic wearing course from 40mm to 50mm. We also realised that there was inadequate provision for drainage system for that road in the initial design but we have changed that to provide adequate drainage for it.
“And also, we considered the fluctuations basically in terms of pricing of materials, take for instance the price of bitumen. That was also factored into the new pricing. One thing we have also factored is that the road will last for a minimum of 10 years.”
Commissioner for Education, Prof Sangodoyin, also said: “The Executive Council met today and approved the production of a 100,000 copies of a compendium for WAEC ten years past questions and solutions in ten subject areas for both the public and private schools in the state. We are to give these compendiums free of charge to public schools and private schools in Oyo state and we add a caveat to say that this compendium is free of charge and not meant for sale, so we are going to address the proprietors of private schools in Oyo state and we are equally going to address the principals of secondary schools in Oyo state on the modus operandis in terms of the usage of these compendiums.
“We also agreed and the governor has approved the provision of e-trainings of our teachers in schools. We have been given approval and very soon we will give the timetable to the public as to skills developments. So, we are actually concentrating on the issue of quality of our educational service providers in Oyo state and performers on one part and on the issue of access and participation on the other parts and equally improve on the issue of funding of educational sector in Oyo state.”
