The Oyo State House of Assembly has set up a 7-man Ad-hoc committee to probe the activities of the Water Corporation of Oyo State in the last eight years.
The areas to cover by the committee include the process in the award of contracts, eligibility of the contractors and criteria involved in the award of contracts.
This was as a result of the summon to the General Manager, Water Corporation of Oyo State to appear before the House to brief it on the activities of the corporation in line with a motion presented by Hon. Isiaka Kazeem, representing Oyo East/Oyo West state constituency on the Need to Complete Ongoing Water Work Projects in the State.
The Acting General Manager, Water Corporation of Oyo State, Mr. Samuel Adegboyega disclosed that the corporation has 13 districts across the state with 22 water works to ensure easy access to potable water by the people of the state.
Speaking about the functionality of the water works and accessibility of the people to water supply, Mr. Adegboyega said that majority of the water works are functioning above average, saying that communities and towns such as Asejire, Eleyele, Oyo, Iseyin, Koso, Iseyin Atori, Ogbomoso, Eruwa, Saki, Igbeti, Ago-Amodu, Iganna and Ajinapa are enjoying potable water from the service of the corporation.
The lawmakers, having gone through the documents presented by the Acting General Manager, observed that majority of awarded contracts were incomplete and huge amount of money has been released for the projects.
Hon. Okedoyin Julius, representing Saki East/Saki West and the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Muhammed Fadeyi and Adeola Bamidele, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju constituency urged the House not to take the issue with levity.
They noted that the issue of awarding contracts is beyond the capacity of acting permanent secretary, there by implored the House to invite the former commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources and permanent secretary to give account of their stewardship while in office.
Hon. Bamidele called on the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to put a stop work order to contractors handling the Corporation’s projects.
Majority of the lawmakers including Hon. Kazeem Adeyanju, Majority Leader, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin, Chairman Parliamentary, Hon. Ayo Fatokun faulted the functionality of water projects claimed by the acting GM, noting that many of them are not working up to 20 per cent capacity.
Hon. Bimbo Oladeji and the Chief Whip, Hon. Akeem Adedibu challenged the intellectual ability of the GM to perform his role as an adviser to the political office holders.
They observed that many contracts being awarded were simultaneous with no consideration for the states of completion of the ones before.
The document revealed that 13 contracts were awarded by the immediate past administration between 2013 and 2019. It further showed that nine of the 13 contracts worth 1.3 billion naira were awarded within the space of five months of November 2018 and April 2019 to different contractors.
In the resolution of the House, the Speaker, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin set up an Ad-hoc Committee to probe the activities of the corporation.
Members of the committee included Hon. Rasak Abdulahi, who is the chairman, Hon. Ayo Fatokun, Hon. Isiaka Kazeem, Hon. Sanjo Ogundoyin, Hon. Peter Ojedokun, Hon. Okedoyin Julius and Hon. Adeola Bamidele.
Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin said that the activities, records and inefficiency of the State Water Corporation needed to be investigated to ensure that state resources are used appropriately and utilized for the development of the people and the state.
He said that the committee involved lawmakers across the five zones of Oyo State to visit the corporation’s facilities, ongoing projects and records to ascertain the eligibility of the contractors and criteria involved in the award of contracts.
“After this, we may be inviting the immediate former Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, former Permanent Secretary in the ministry and all the contractors involved.”
