By Tunde Olamilekan
The House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abandoned construction of a multi-purpose dam project at Kajola Village, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
According to the lawmaker representing Ife Federal Constituency, Hon. Abimbola Ajilesoro, who sponsored a motion which was adopted, the dam project valued at N22.58 billion was awarded in 2004.
Leading the debate during Tuesday’s plenary after the motion was adopted, Ajilesoro said the contract for the dam was initially awarded to Reynolds Construction Company, RCC, Nigeria Limited on December 21, 2004, for N2.24 billion, with a completion timeline of 24 months.
He recalled that although the contractor eventually mobilized to site in 2008, work progressed slowly and reached only 40 percent completion before being abandoned due to inadequate funding.
Ajilesoro noted that the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, in collaboration with the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, later reviewed the project’s cost to N10.87 billion on December 13, 2011, with an extended completion period between January 2020 and December 2021.
He also disclosed that another cost revision was made on December 15, 2022, raising the total project estimate to N22.58 billion, yet the dam remains incomplete and abandoned.
Ajilesoro who expressed concern over the delay, warned that the continued neglect of the project had deprived residents of 11 local government areas in Osun and neighbouring Ondo State of access to essential bulk water supply.
Following deliberations, the House mandated its Committee on Water Resources to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the project to determine the total amount released to the contractor since 2004, assess the current status, and ensure accountability in the utilization of public funds.
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