5 FG projects unutilized, abandoned or neglected in Ogbomoso
Femi OGUNLANA
Developmental initiatives are the aspirations of each community. They revitalize and invigorate a community, leading to enhanced quality of life, employment opportunities, infrastructure enhancements, and other positive outcomes.
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The government plays a pivotal role in providing these essential services. Communities eagerly seek support from influential individuals at the federal and state levels. Ogbomoso, situated in Oyo state, has benefited from these provisions, expressing profound gratitude towards both the state and federal authorities.
However, in Ogbomoso, there are a number of federal government’s projects which are either completed but unutilized or altogether abandoned, lying fallow, making billions of naira go waste. Resuscitating them will be in the best interest of the people.
In this article we look at some of them with the hope that people who have the influence can activate government’s renewed interest in them towards eliciting recommitment of resources.
1. 132/33kv electricity substation – The project was awarded in the 2000s to boost electricity supply in Ogbomoso and environs. Up till today the project is uncompleted even though about 90 percent of it is accomplished according to a recent data. The substation is done, the remaining aspect of the project is connecting it to Ganmo 330/132kv power station to energize it. Achieving the project will no doubt be an elixir to the dream of attaining the status of an industrialized city. But for now it remains a mirage six months after the Minister of Power Chief Adebayo Adelabu promised the project would be completed.
2. Ogbomoso section of new Ibadan-Ilorin highway – The project started in 2001, it is depressing it is yet to be completed despite its crucialness to the socio-economic well-being of Nigerians. The Ibadan-Oyo section was opened as far back as 2010, ditto Ogbomoso-Ilorin section with the two sections already undergoing repair several times whereas that of Ogbomoso-Oyo remains uncompleted. Funds according to the contractor is released piecemeal thus the work is on and off. It is so bad and smacks of insensitivity on the part of government in view of the bad state of the old road as a result inducing carnage and losses of lives and properties on regular basis. The painful thing now is that all that remains for its completion is less than 10 km, incidentally this falls in the Ogbomoso axis – Arinkinkin to Federal Government College. If that is executed a vehicle will travel the expressway from Ibadan to Ilorin without recourse to the old dilapidated, trailer infested road. Interventionists that can get government to complete the project are needed, not for Ogbomoso but for Nigeria.
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3. Nigeria Police Secondary School – Odanbon in Surulere local government of Ogbomoso zone has been allocated a police secondary school as far back as early 2010s but has remained stillborn. The land is there with fence and gates already erected by the police authorities. The police even gave the nod for commencement of academic activities if a temporary site can be found pending construction of the permanent site. Ogbomoso Parapo and some other patriots took steps to secure site to be used as temporary site – Ogbomoso Grammar School (OGS) – and did well to secure Oyo state government’s approval for the use of the school (which has not been revoked), but the request by the Police Education Department that the section released for its school within OGS be renovated and demarcated with a fence, could not be met. The Police Education Department also requested that a block of building be donated at the permanent site as a token of commitment by the community, saying this is crucial, this also is unmet. Ironically, Igbo-Ora also in Oyo state got approval for same school at about the same time but today the first set has passed out in the school because the community fulfilled the conditions. Getting it off the ground will certainly enhance the status of Ogbomoso and environs in terms of employment and by extension economic boost and improved standard of living. The renovation of the OGS temporary site if there is willpower can be made ready for admission later this year. Philanthropists are needed.
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4. Federal Health Centre – There is a Federal Health Centre facilitated by Chief Sunday Dare when he was Minister of Youth and Sports Development. The project located at Pakiotan Layout is completed, and installed with state-of-the-art equipment, nonetheless it is shut. Meanwhile, it is found out that the centre is affiliated with the University College Hospital Ibadan.
5. Federal Fire Service – An outlet of the Federal Fire Service was approved for Ogbomoso few years ago. However, it is yet to see the light of the day.
6. Numerous others – Primary health centres, water works scheme, vocational centre and so on. There are other projects which are abandoned like health centre at Owode area by Ora river.
Note: This story has been updated with the deletion of the Ajagungbade ICT Centre at Oke-Owode from the list after it was found out that the centre has been released to Federal Polytechnic Ayede, which uses it for ICT practical regularly.
