Engineer John Olasunkanmi Sokeye, the Project Coordinator, Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUMFP) has revealed that ‘natural forces’ are behind why many bridges under construction in Ibadan land are yet to be completed.
He said, “The Governor is very interested in the project and he is absolutely not to be blamed, we are not financially insolvent. The demolition of Tioya bridge began on February 6, 2022 and it was later discovered that the culvert on which the bridge was lying was beneath a big rock. The contractor handling the project was dismantling the rock when there was a sudden rainfall around March, which delayed the ongoing progress of the work.
He continued “we had to seek the advice of experts on how the rock would be demolished. We proposed using explosives and dynamites to blast the rock but later discovered that this move would have adverse effect on the surrounding buildings.
“Later, our consulting experts advised us to deploy chemical blasting method and we had to send representatives to the United Kingdom to procure the chemicals for the demolition exercise. We are currently working on it and in a matter of days; the demolition of the rock will be completed”.
The Ibadan trained Engineer made this revelation while featuring on a weekly radio show, Ayekooto on Radio’ anchored by Olayinka Agboola and broadcast live on Splash 105.5FM, Felele Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State recently.
Adding, “In our eight years of intervention, we have intervened in the construction of Agodi, Orogun, Ogbere dam projects and partly Kudeti while we are making great plans to begin construction on the Odo-Ona dam and by the first week in September the project will begin in earnest.
“We are collaborating with the Ministry of Environment and Works to reduce perennial flood in Ibadan. We are also aware that people are dissatisfied with the slow pace of work in Amuloko and Tioya, we urge them to exercise more patience as we are making frantic efforts to complete the project very soon”.
Engineer Sokeye further revealed that the ongoing projects are supervised by experts drawn from the state civil service and trained professionals while adding that IUFMP projects are fully funded by the World Bank and the Oyo State government.
He further pleaded for the cooperation of residents of the state while admonishing them to desist from throwing refuse into the drainage system and to avoid building on waterways.
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