By: Fawaz Adebisi
The Oba Raimi road in Ibiade Tayoku quarters, Ogun waterside Local Government, Ogun state has remained in shambles for years, despite repeated allocations for four years, and the N80 million Naira reportedly spent.
Over a hundred million Naira has been allocated across multiple budgets for the construction and repair of the Oba Raimi Road, however, the rehabilitation has been stalled while residents face untold hardship.
This reporter visited the area and found that some parts of the road had been constructed, but major parts were left untouched, making transportation hard for residents.
Only an inconsequential portion of the road has been repaired, while most part remain dilapidated. When this reporter visited the area, residents expressed frustration and disappointment as the road further deteriorates.
A resident, Mrs. Adeola Akinade, expressed her disappointment, saying, “It’s disheartening to see the project uncompleted and abandoned. We were expecting a better road network, but now it’s just a waste of resources.”
Another resident, Mr. Tunde Olayinka, added, “the road continues to get damaged because it wasn’t completed, especially during this rainy season.”
He therefore urged the government to take responsibility and ensure the project is completed, adding that “we can’t continue living with this deplorable road condition.”
N80 million Spent, But Inadequate – Former Constituency Rep
The rehabilitation of the road appeared separately in the 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023 budgets of the federal government, and allocated N30 million, N50 million, N35 million, and N32 million in each year respectively.
It was nominated as a Zonal Intervention Project (ZIP) by a former member of the House of Representatives, who represented the Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside Constituency, Mr Adekoya Adesegun.
When queried by this reporter on why the project was abandoned despite repeated allocations, Mr Adesegun disclosed that the first two allocations which sums up to N80 million were released but the release was late and inadequate for the completion of the project.
He explained that the agency saddled with the execution – the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) – was encumbered by inflation as the allocated funds were released late.
“Imagine money for a 2001 project being released in 2004, how does it relate, would the agency be able to meet up with the economic situation of the country, considering the inflation?
“That’s why the project wasn’t completed with the first two budgets, the BCDA refused to continue the work because the funds were released late. As I am speaking, to date, funds for 2022 and 2023 have not been released when they eventually release it, would 35 million Naira be enough, cement is now cost,” he said.
Explaining further, he noted that agencies also take at least 10% of funds allocated, regardless of the insufficiency of the budget.
“There’s also a 7.5% Value-added Tax, VAT to be paid plus a 5% withholding tax,” he said, stressing that these are parts of the problems that contribute to projects being abandoned.
Adequate Punishment Is The Only Way, Expert Tells Gov’t
Professor Sheriffdeen Tella, an economist, recommended adequate punishment for corruption in Nigeria.
Speaking with Platform Times, Tella stressed that mismanagement of public funds is a major impediment to development in Nigeria, and the only remedy is severe punishment.
“Money that is meant for one thing is diverted into service pocketing or some other things that are beneficial to individuals. That has been part of the problem of development. All over the world, there’s corruption, but when people are caught, they are adequately punished.
“In Nigeria, there’s no adequate punishment, in fact, people can even boast of mismanaging money. That is why many sectors are not developed. People negotiate how much the government wants from the amount they have stolen, instead of the government sending them to jail,” he said.
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