Oyo state chapter of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN, has challenged Governor Seyi Makinde to declare the exact amount required for the execution of the construction of four bus terminals in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
OYOINSIGHT.COM had earlier reported how the Seyi Makinde led executive council of the state approved the construction of the terminals in Ibadan.
In a press statement signed by its state secretary, Ayodeji Adigun and made available to newsmen on Thursday, SPN also demanded the use of public work for the execution of the projects.
The party acknowledged that the construction of bus terminals particularly with features like restaurant, shops, café and ATM gallery is very important to a standard mass public transport system program.
However, it condemned the demolition of shops and property worth millions of naira belonging to poor traders in Iwo road who are still struggling to survive in the midst of the current crisis of COVID-19 pandemic in the State especially when there was no prior provision of alternative means of livelihood or even compensation.
The statement read: “We of the Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN Oyo State Chapter, equally condemn the use of contract system for the execution of this project and the way and manner the Engr Seyi Makinde led Government announced the contract approval without a public declaration of the exact contract sum involved.
“This kind of secretive approach to public projects is worrisome as it gives room to corrupt and sharp practices which include but not limited to undue figure manipulations. It also raises a huge suspicion that the fundamental motive behind the approval of this contract is not actually to serve the working and the poor masses of people in Oyo State but primarily for the self-serving interest of the pro-capitalist politicians and their acolytes who usually masquerade as contractors.
“It is highly instructive to remind the public that recently it was alleged in a report that there was a mysterious deployment of some Directors and their Deputies from the Ministry of works to the Ministry of Agriculture due to contract sum discrepancies between Governor Seyi Makinde and these Directors and their Deputies.
“It must be recalled that the reason reported for this deployment was either because these Directors slashed to N450million the N5billion Engr Seyi Makinde-led government allegedly proposed for the construction of each of the three motor parks proposed to be built in three different locations in Ibadan or because of the N65 million contract sum submitted by these Director and their deputies against the N24million submitted by an independent contractor on the same contract to repair the road leading to the infectious Disease Centre at Olodo.
“To us in the SPN, the above example is just a glimpse of how the pro-capitalist politicians connive with their acolytes who often masquerade as contractors or appointed permanent secretaries, Directors and Deputies directors who preside over the affairs of Ministries, Departments and Parastatals in order to ensure that public funds are always utilised primarily for their self-serving interest and looting under the pretense of encouraging infrastructural development.
“It is in the recognition of this background, that we of the SPN hereby challenge Engr Seyi Makinde-led government to openly declare the exact amount that will be required to execute the construction of each of the four bus terminals while we insist that the modality for the execution of the project must be through a public work programme by Ministry of works that is equipped with adequate machineries and man power and under a democratic control of elected representatives of the rank and file of workers in the Ministry and the working people in the various communities where this project is proposed to be sited.”
