Reason Police Secondary School approved for Ogbomoso is yet to takeoff
Khalid ABRAHAM
Few years ago news of the approval of a Police Secondary School in Odanbon Ogbomoso Oyo state, sparked widespread excitement in the community.
The struggle for the siting of the school was fierce, it was between Ogbomoso and Igbo-Ora in Ibarapa area of the state.
Eventually, Ogbomoso had the slot allocated to her with many of the belief that it’s deserving in view of an indigene of the city serving as Inspector General of Police in the early 1980s – that’s Chief Sunday Adewusi (now late).
Chief Adewusi who was conferred with the prestigious title of Asiwaju of Ogbomosoland in 2003 by (now late) Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, served the nation meritoriously. So, locating a police institution in his hometown in recognition of his remarkable, sterling service is seen as something not out of place.
The Police Authorities did its part by approving the school ahead of other competing towns.
However, progress is stalled, about five years on. The reason for this delay in takeoff even after the police authorities had fenced and painted the walls in police colours the 100 acres land donated for the school by the Olodanbon of Odanbon, Oba Idogbe Adepoju, is meanwhile provided by the national welfare officer of Egbe Omo Ogbomoso Parapo Agbaaye, Mr. Tunde Adegoke.
Mr. Adegoke, who is also a member of Ogbomoso Development Association (ODA) gave the report during the monthly meeting of the association Saturday held at Ogbomoso Parapo House at Apake in which he revealed that the takeoff of the police secondary school is delayed because of lack of production of survey plan of the land.
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According to Adegoke, he is a member of the committee who worked on the facilitation of the project disclosing that the police authorities upon approving the school and erecting fence demanded the survey plan which however is yet to see the light of the day.
“The reason for this,” he informed, “is lack of fund to pay the surveyor.”
“Initially the cost was one million three hundred thousand naira (N1.3m) but being an indigene of Ogbomoso himself he was prevailed upon to cut the cost and so he took off one hundred thousand naira (N100, 000). Some leaders were informed.
“ODA subsequently made available four hundred thousand naira (N400, 000) while Justice Afolabi Adeniran (rtd.), president of Egbe Omo Ogbomoso Parapo Agbaaye, personally coughed out one hundred thousand naira (N100, 000) leaving a remainder of seven hundred thousand naira (N700, 000). We couldn’t raise more funds for the survey plan. So, progress was stalled.”
He further submitted that the last time the surveyor was contacted, in January 2022, the cost had jumped up by almost 42 percent, that is to say the price had increased to N1.7m. So, a sum.of N1.2m is still required to meet up (as at January 2022).
“We cannot come up with the amount yet and without the survey plan the police will not lift a pin on the construction of facilities for takeoff,” Adegoke who previously served as Ogbomoso Parapo home branch PRO added.
“The police assured the moment the survey plan is ready construction of infrastructures will commence at the site,” and so urged members of ODA to intervene or work with others to get the survey plan ready.”
