Osun Federal Lawmakers Decry Poor Management of N2.2b Constituency Water Projects

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

The federal lawmakers from Osun state have lamented over the poor management of N2.2billion mini water projects financed and constructed by the legislators in the state.

The aggrieved members of the National Assembly made their grievances known during their fact-finding tours to the benefiting communities and locations of the multi-billion naira constituency water project executed by the legislators.

The delegation of the National Assembly lawmakers from the state who were part of the tour include: Hon. Ayo Omidiran from Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan federal constituency; Hon. Yinka Ajayi of Boripe/Ifelodun/Odootin federal constituency, Hon. Gafar Amere Akintayo representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-oluwa federal constituency and Hon. Ajibola Famurewa of Atakunmosa East/ Atakunmosa West/Ilesha East/Ilesa West federal constituency.

The three water scheme located at Ipetu-Ijesa, Ila-Orangun and Ife-odan respectively were implemented by the legislators within the three geo-political zones as part of efforts to extend the dividends of democracy to the electorate and as well meet the yearning and aspirations of the people from those areas.

Visit to the sites where the water schemes are being situated shows that the projects have not been functioning well since they were commissioned and handed over to Osun State Water Corporation.

Addressing journalists on behalf of other lawmakers shortly after the inspection tour, Hon. Ayo Omidiran, said the visit was in consonance with the resolution of all members of the National Assembly elected from the state to inspect and assess the state of the three mini water scheme jointly funded by both members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Omidiran who was very furious about the way and manner the three water projects were being handled and managed by the officials of the state water corporation (Osun State Water Corporation), said it is unfortunate that the government agency failed to live up to expectation in managing the projects and meeting the yearning of the beneficiaries in the areas where the projects are situated.

She expressed a profuse disappointment with the poor state of the projects which according to her was executed with a sum of N2.2billion.

Putting blame on the state water corporation for its failure to manage the projects to the satisfaction of the beneficiaries, Omidiran said it is disappointing to know that the beneficiaries of the multi billion naira projects did not enjoy the scheme since the projects were commissioned and handed over in the year 2012.

She condemned the attitude of some of the officials of the Corporation towards the management of the projects, noting that the lawmakers would not rest on their oars to ensure that all the constituency projects initiated and funded serve the constituents as expected.

Omidiran said to achieve a collective goal, there is the need for her colleagues to be on red alert in monitoring, tracking and supervising all the constituency projects implementing across the state.

According to her  “it is regrettable and disheartening to know and see that a project like has not been working and serving the people to which they were implemented for.

She added, “these projects were unanimously handed over to the Osun Water Corporation after the commissioning and the Corporation did not complain then that some of the pumping machines were not in good condition but now they started putting up flimsy excuses.

“We are aware that these projects were handled poorly that is why a lot of things were coming up as regards their purposes.

“Even as much as the complaints of the officials of the state water corporation are, they equally failed to inform us about the challenges they faced. They didn’t tell us that power and diesel have been their problems not until now.

“If not that we are informed by the constituents, we might not know. We put the blame on the Corporation because it is our belief that the projects have been handed over to the appropriate authority and as such, if there is any shortcoming, the Corporation is in the best position to keep us updated.

“So if the state water corporation actually want to complement our efforts in realising that the projects serve their purposes, thus, we should have been briefed on the challenges long before now.

Omidiran hinted that the contractor, Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority had sometimes abandoned the projects after collecting a sum of 2.2 billion naira charged for the project, she added that they were forced to petition EFCC to investigate the matter before the contractor came back to site.

“We are holding Osun State Water Corporation responsible for these projects and we would give our reports to the Governor of the state to ask the Corporation on why they accepted the project from the contractor without proper check and assessment.

While asking the reason they refused to pump waters since the projects were handed over to them, the managers shifted the blame on erratic power supply in the areas and non availability of diesel to power their generating sets.

An Engineer in-charge of the Ipetu-Ijesa water scheme, Engr. Michael Elusakin blamed his inability to pump water to the people of the area to lack of full voltage of electricity and non provision of diesel.

Echoing a similar view, Engr Ayantayo Oseni, manager in charge of Ila Mini Water Scheme and Fatile Tayo of Ife-Odan water scheme, said they pump each day they have electricity power supply.

The duo noted that lack of full voltage of electricity had acutely affected their operation as only full voltage could allow their pumping machines to have very good yield.

Reacting,  representative of Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority, Engr Iyiola Rufus said the company handed over the projects to the Osun water corporation 100 percent completion and nobody raised any complain then.

Rufus further explained that had it being all these issues have raised earlier the contractor would have rectified them.

He therefore, expressed the readiness of the contractor to fix all the identified problems so as to facilitate effective and ensure the perfect function of the projects.