The Oyo State Government has reiterated its commitment to the Ibadan Circular Road project emphasizing that it is being executed with a clear vision and a deliberate objective to attract unprecedented investment opportunities into the state.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, he explained that the current agitation is not unexpected even when it appears to have been hijacked by a few individuals with a different agenda
The commissioner said that for a defining project of this nature, avoided by past administrations, the government is left with no choice but to see the project to its conclusion
The government said that the imminent all- inclusive meeting between it and genuine land owners is what everybody should look forward to instead of preemptive and volatile remarks that tend to confuse the citizenry.
The commissioner said as far as government is concerned, the issue of compensation is ongoing while the issue of resettlement is up for discussion as soon as an appointment is agreed between government officials and genuine stakeholders.
Oyelade cited examples of demolitions and compensations by the state governments paid in the past and this present administration which include dualization of Idi Ape, Bashorun, Akobo and Odogbo Baracks road; dualization of Ilorin express junction, ikoyin road, Taki leading to the Soun Palace at Oja-igbo in ogbomosho; dualization of Saki Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Ilesha Ibaruba road; dualization of Idi Ape, Bashorun Akobo, Olurunda-Aba including the Ashi overhead bridge; rehabilitation of Bere Orita/Orita Aperin, Akanran, Gbedu and Dagbolu Road; dualization of Ibadan/Oyo Iseyin Okeho junction road; dualization of challenge/Odo -Ona Elewe Road and many more roads adding up to sixteen (16) in numbers.
According to him the compensation paid for all these combined is two billion, three hundred and twenty six million, fifty nine thousand, four hundred and fifty three naira( #2,326, 059,453) for a total of 250km of roads across the state
The Commissioner said that in the first phase of the on going Ibadan Circular Road project spanning 32.2 kilometers from Abiola Ajimobi Technical University to Badeku Junction, only 1,354 buildings were affected out of a total of 7,340 structures for the entire 110km noting that 5,986 buildings, representing 82%, were not affected by the exercise.
According to him “The sensitive process of verification makes it important for government to engage in a painstaking yet humane approach.”
” In this regard, over Eight Hundred Million (#800,000,000) has been paid to about 200 verified claimers while the process for further disbursement is actively going on.”
“Government is not unaware of the activities of land speculators who have moved in batches into the area to ply their trade irrespective of government’s instructions to avoid new constructions /transactions within the marked corridor.”
The Information Commissioner said that government remains optimistic in spite of the unnecessary militancy of a few, stressing that the vast majority of our people understand the bigger picture of what the State Government intends to achieve.
He appealed to the protesters to immediately stop the disruption of social and commercial activities in the city of Ibadan
He added that the Seyi Makinde Administration will remain transparent in the implementation of this inevitable project.
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