Fashola, Dapo Abiodun trade words over N56bn Federal road
…Abiodun lacks power to take over construction of road — Minister
By Uthman Salami and Deborah Onatunde
The Minister of Works and Housing, who was also a former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashla and the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun have engaged in a war of words over N56 billion Sango-Ota Abeokuta road.
In response to a statement made by the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun over the state of the Sango/Ota-Abeokuta road, Fashola said the Governor had no constitutional power to take over the construction of the road, advising the governor to rather channel his attention to other roads within the State.
Nigerian NewsDirect reported earlier that Abiodun had said his administration would take over reconstruction of Sango/Ota-Abeokuta road in two weeks, if the Federal Government failed to fix it within that period.
Abiodun made this known shortly after inspecting some bad portions of the 52.5 kilometre road in Ewekoro axis during the weekend.
According to him, the action had become necessary after the State Government alongside Lagos state had made frantic efforts to draw the attention of the Federal Government, through the office of the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to the bad shape of the road without any positive response.
While expressing worry over the hardship motorists were being subjected to owing to the deplorable state of the road, he declared that his administration would not fold her arms and allow her citizenry to continue to suffer due to the negligence of the authority in charge of this road.
“If after two weeks, the Federal Government refuses to commence work on this road, I will take it over and reconstruct it,” he said.
While appealing to the people of the state, particularly those living along the road to be patient, the governor informed that the reason behind the inspection was to examine the level of infrastructural development in Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts with a view to ascertain the level of damages done to some of the major roads in the areas so as to fashion out the best way towards their reconstruction.
He observed that the road awarded to Julius Berger about 15 years ago had been abandoned making it impassable, saying that despite the various palliative being carried out on the road, some of the blue chip companies located along the road had failed to support the efforts of the government through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
He assured that the state government would continue to prioritise the welfare of the people of the state in line with his promises during the last governorship campaign.
Abiodun lacks power to take over construction of road — Minister
Appearing on Channels Television flagship program, “Politics Today”, which was monitored by Nigerian NewsDirect, Fashola said he had been in talks with Ogun State Governor, assuring that the Governor would not break the law by taking over the road.
“I have been talking to Gov. Dapo Abiodun. I am not going to engage in needless administrative issue, but I know Gov. Dapo Abiodun is a law abiding citizen of the country, He knows that that road is a Federal road.”
He wonders where the Governor would derive the power to take over a Federal road, noting that the power to administer a federal highway rests solely with the Minister of the Federal Republic.
Fashola added that the road had been awarded to Julius Berger and was being funded by SUKUK even though it was inherited by the previous administration.
“I have provided every support that I can. That road is being funded by the Sukuk. There is a contractor working there. That road was inherited by this administration from the Lagos end, work is going on.”
He said, “The Ota/Sango end hasn’t progressed significantly to satisfaction” due to limited resources.
Speaking further the Minister said the Governor of Ogun State should explain where the money he intends to foot the road rehabilitation would come from.
He said, “Abiodun has spoken to me that he wanted to fund the road but i said, show me where the money is coming from, where do you have the money. The road is N56 billion. Well, I am still waiting.
He, however, emphasised that the State Government could take charge of the road once the source of funding is established and the rule guiding the process is followed.
“If he can provide a source of funding then we will go through the process of transferring the loan from the Federal Government to stakeholders. As there is a law that specifies how that is done.”
