The Oyo House of Assembly has expressed displeasure at dilapidation of some feeder and rural roads across the state, and called on Chairmen of the 33 local government areas and the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) to ensure that they effectively utilize the N150 million that was recently approved by the state government for road rehabilitation/reconstruction.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the approved N150 million was shared into equal halves with each local government getting N75 million and OYSROMA taking the other N75 million to carry out various repair works on roads across the state.
Members of the Assembly lamented that despite the fact that the sum was released about a month ago, several roads, especially those in rural areas, remained dilapidated.
The lawmakers voiced this concern at plenary while deliberating on a motion by Honourable Joshua Oyebamiji of Akinyele 1 constituency on the need for Chairmen of local government areas to fix degraded roads and clear drainages in their domain.
Commenting, Honourable Gbenga Oyekola of Atiba constituency expressed concern that roads continued to degenerate despite the money that local government areas and OYSROMA received to fix roads.
Oyekola said the call for judicious use of the latest N150 million became expedient because N300 million had earlier been released to the two parties also for road rehabilitation and the job done did not look commensurate with the released sum.
Oyekola had hinted about the Assembly’s earlier invitation to the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Bimbo Kolade who give details of the sum approved to local government areas.
Confirming the disbursement of the N150 million to Nigerian Tribune, Kolade said the road rehabilitation works was expected to be completed within three or four months.
In his own contribution, Honourable Olusegun Olaleye representing Ibadan North II constituency noted the need for the Assembly to beam its searchlight on the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA), which was also responsible for the fixing of roads.
To cap their contributions, Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Olagunju Ojo mandated the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, led by Honourable Safiu Olalere to be more efficient in its oversight functions on local government activities.
This is as he charged the LG Chairmen and OYSROMA to utilize the funds as assigned to alleviate the suffering faced by rural dwellers in conveying their roads from their farms to markets and the metropolis.
