OsunInfraFocus: The verdict of experts

By Sarafa Ibrahim

For sometime now, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state mumble about the infrastructure projects embarked upon by the Governor Ademola Adeleke administration in the state, pushing really hard to sell the impression that the projects fell short of standards. But when a technical team led by the President of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NGE), Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, concluded an audit and validation tour of the projects on Thursday, the consensus was that they are of very high standards.

“The quality is undoubtedly high, and the job is being done to a very high standards. It’s fantastic,” Engr. Oguntala who presides over Nigeria’s topmost engineering body declared. This verdict undo the weeks of plain untruth that the main opposition choose as a strategy to attack the genuine efforts of Governor Adeleke to upturn the gloomy outlook of the past and place Osun on the path of enviable development.

But the mistake, as we have come to learn, is that the APC failed to realize how disjointed their position seemed. Engineering is a technical field that takes more than the jaundiced notions that the APC elements on Osun infrastructure projects generally reflect. This was the clear takeaway from the NSE’s delegation findings on Osun infrastructure projects, spotlighting the sheer ignorance of the rudderless opposition in the state.

The NSE is the umbrella body for the engineering profession in Nigeria, providing it with the resources and expertise to accurately judge the quality or otherwise of construction works. This is more reason why its verdict on Osun infrastructure projects is sacrosanct, and more, answer for any doubt that the deliberate misinformation campaign that the APC may have stirred.

But that was not all. The NSE team spotlighted what could well pass as the Governor’s remarkable commitment to local content as Engr. Oguntala noted that “As I said earlier to His Excellency and I will say it again: We commend him for using Nigerian engineers and for believing in them.” While acknowledging that Governor Adeleke got the best hands among engineers for the jobs, the President of the NSE added that “so he (Adeleke) is assured to get the job delivered on time.”

To cap it all Engineer Dayo Eluyemi, a member of the American Society Engineers (ASE), attested to the good quality of the projects and went on to “assure that the contractor is doing the right thing here and all quality and control tests are being strictly monitored according to global standards.” To hear him say that, especially when he specialises in Highway construction as a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Highway and Transportation Engineers, is yet an affirmation of the integrity of the Osun infrastructure projects.

From last year October when Governor Adeleke unveiled his ambitious infrastructure plan for the state, the APC was thrown off course, painstakingly hoping that it did not materialise. Initially, it raised questions on the funding for the projects and when it became obvious that Governor Adeleke was prepared to sacrifice to meet up, the response was to stir doubts in the minds of Osun people on the quality of the job.

Any keen watcher of things in will not be surprised by the APC approach to progress in Osun state. This is simply because it did not show serious commitment to advance the good of the state and its people, concentrating collective wealth in the hands of a minute few while leaving a huge infrastructural deficit and the attendant social and economic impediment on the state.

By contrast, Governor Adeleke prioritizes the good of all, deploring policies and interventions to correct the misdeeds of the past and set the cause for a better tomorrow. This is what the infrastructure plan he is pursuing underscores, and this much was acknowledged by Engr. Oguntola as capable of “transforming the State, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of life for the people of Osun.”

There are certainly signs that Governor Adeleke is not ready to let the ugly past to continue by working assiduously to address the infrastructure deficit that inhibits progress and power a future that drives inclusive growth. In less than two years in office, Governor Adeleke tailored resources to building infrastructures that will reinvigorate hopes that a new Osun is possible.

Infrastructure is a necessity that powers not just economic growth but also social advancement of any society. Prosperity of the people are tied to the presence of good infrastructures as they support economic activities and promote standard of living. A good road network will aid connectivity, and as such, facilitate ease in the movement of people and goods, which will translate to increased economic activities. Just as a revitalized healthcare infrastructure will enable a healthy population, and this will add to the socio-economical capital of the state.

This understanding, definitely, explains the deep interest that Governor Adeleke has shown in infrastructural development in the state. From the time he assumed office and now, Governor Adeleke has invested heavily in upgrading Osun infrastructure level in what clearly highlights his ambitious goal of industrializing the state. At the moment, overhead bridges are being erected in different parts of the state, while major road infrastructure projects are also being aggressively pursued to boost interconnectivity. There is no local government in the entire Osun without ongoing road construction projects, which will enhance connectivity and the economy of the state when completed.

Beyond road construction, Governor Adeleke is upgrading the infrastructure of healthcare facilities across the state. The target is to have, at least, a functional and well equipped primary healthcare centre with facilities such as stable power supply and water resources in each of the political wards in Osun. So far, 50 PHCs have been done and delivered, while another 100 PHCs are undergoing massive rehabilitation at the moment.

In the education sector, Governor Adeleke is embarking on renewing decayed infrastructure, uplifting study environments to enhance qualitative learning. In the first phase of the intervention, a total of 31 public schools across Osun received a total overhaul and fully equipped with necessities to make teaching and learning comfortable for teachers and students. Most of the schools in the second phase had been completed and added to the increasing numbers of improved learning environments in the state.

The water needs of the people is not left out in the consideration of the Adeleke administration as it undertook the sinking of motorized boreholes in each of the 332 wards in the state as a temporary response to the challenges of getting access to clean water faced by the people. On the long-term, mini-water projects such as the Ignomina water scheme are undergoing major intervention in order to provide people in that axis drinkable water at their homes. Other similar projects are in the pipeline and will soon commence.

In all, it is clear to all that Governor Adeleke meant well. The Governor is not only working to fix today’s problem but also putting in place infrastructures that will not be a worry for those who need it tomorrow. And, to say all of these is happening less than two years in office is, to say the least, outstanding.

▪︎ Sarafa Ibrahim is a Special Assistant to the Osun State Governor on Print Media and he writes from Iwo, Osun State.