…From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan..
Oyo State Government has promised to complete the reconstruction of another pedestrian bridge to replace the collapsed makeshift one at Apete , Ibadan within the next 10 days, even as it said that the main bridge under construction would be made passable to pedestrians by September 2014.
The government, at a press conference in Ibadan on Tuesday, attributed the delay in the completion of main Apete Bridge within the record time to the weather and climatic conditions of 2013, as well as other factors like design revisions and alterations of the project.
The Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ismail Olalekan Alli, while addressing newsmen urged the residents to make use of the alternative routes at Ajibode and Akufo Areas, pending the completion of the pedestrian bridge.
Alli, who described as unfortunate the collapse of the pedestrian bridge owing to the flooding arising from the heavy downpour of last Saturday, promised that the new one would stand the test of time till the final completion of the bridge.
It would be recalled that the Apete Bridge was one of the bridges washed away by the August 26, 2011 flood disaster which destroyed some lives and property.
This led to the construction of a temporary bridge within one week as a palliative measure to alleviate the impact of the collapsed bridge and facilitate the movement of the residents of the area.
Thereafter, the state government awarded a contract for the construction of the bridge which was, however, cancelled due to the poor performance of the local contractor. The bridge contract was awarded to another contractor, with the completion period fixed for May 2014.
Explaining the actions taken by the state government after the flood disaster of 2011 and subsequent efforts at ensuring that there was no flood in the state, the government said it immediately evacuated and rescued victims all over the affected areas and had since embarked on massive awareness campaigns on local radio and television to warn people off flood-prone areas.
“We also established internally displaced persons camps (IDPs’) and commenced the distribution of relief materials with over 10,000 beneficiaries. In the last two years, we have cleared several blocked drains and dredged, as well as de-silted streams to prevent flood in the state,” the state government said.
The state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Bimbo Kolade, at the press conference, assured that the three bridges under construction along the Apete axis and the 3.5-kilometre Ijokodo Junction and Apete Road, also under construction, would be completed latest by December 2014.
Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Yomi Oke, explained that the state government had carried out several enlightenment campaigns aimed at sensitizing the people to the need for them to avoid practices that could aid flooding in the state.
He also stated that the residents of Apete Area had, through the state-owned radio and television station, been warned to stay away from the bridge when it was becoming apparent that there would be heavy rain on Saturday.
Mr. Alli, however, condemned the vandalism and looting of the office of the contractor handling the project, warning that those responsible for the development would be brought to book.
The Secretary to the State Government assured the people of the state that government would not rest on its oars in ensuring that the welfare of the citizens was given adequate attention.