Olaiya Flyover: Ex-Commissioner hits back at Adeleke, dares Govt to provide technical report
By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
Former Osun Commissioner for Work, Engr. Remi Omowaiye has hit back at Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration to provide a technical report that faulted the Olaiya flyover to the public domain, challenging him not to play politics with the state resources.
Olaiya Flyover was constructed by the Adegboyega Oyetola-led administration in 2022.
Speaking to journalists at the Tinubu-Shettima campaign office in Osogbo, Omowaiye said the past administration awarded the construction of the flyover to a high profile contractor who had worked in more than ten states in the country.
He bemoaned the abandonment of the structures used to beautify the flyover’s vicinity, saying it was a deliberate attempt to destroy Gboyega Oyetola legacy which he said could not be possible.
He said, “We did 150 percent above the load bearing capacity, we carried out various test, we went to FUTA lab, University of Lagos lab and Lagos State Materials Testing Lab which is the best lab in Nigeria. All the results are available.
“It came to us as a shock. I was in Osun a few weeks ago and we discovered that the whole thing had been abandoned. The Solar no longer comes up, everywhere is dirty and disgusting, solar lights are not coming up, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the structure capacity of the flyover.
“We are not saying the government should not do whatever they want to do but this money belongs to the people of Osun. It must be spent judiciously. Don’t come and say you want to demolish Olaiya Flyover because of politics.
“I want them to come out with a technical report that says that the bridge has faults. I challenge any engineer that claims that the bridge has faults should come up with the report and put his NSE number.
“I challenge Osun State government to come up with the results of the lab they went to, to test all the flyovers they are doing, we want the people of Osun to ask them,” he said.
Recall that the Former Commissioner’s comments are a retort to the State Government’s actions. Governor Ademola Adeleke had directed the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to ban heavy duty trucks from plying the Olaiya bridge at the state capital, citing safety reasons arising from technical reports on the state of the bridge.
Adeleke, in a statement signed by spokesperson Olawale Rasheed had said the decision became necessary to protect the bridge from possible collapse and avoid untoward happenings with continuous passage by heavy trucks.
Describing the decision as a preemptive step, Governor Adeleke said the Ministry should erect barricades across the bridge to allow only cars and buses to ply through the road.
As a step towards implementing the directive, the Governor also instructed the Ministry to issue a travel advisory with radio jingles to sensitise members of the public and the transport ecosystem.
The Governor assured the public that the decision was taken to protect the public and state assets, while a long lasting review of the technical status of the bridge is being conducted by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.
