Press Conference
Constituency Relations Department
Office of the Deputy Speaker
House of Representatives
Three Arms Zone
Abuja
4th of May 2017
Preamble: Gentlemen of the press, I am delighted to have you here as an honor to our invitation. Thanks for coming.
Introduction: The subject of our conference is to debunk the lies told by some mischievous and malicious officials of Osun State Government on the designing and construction of new Ojutu Bridge along Erinle River on Osogbo /Ilobu /Ifon / Ogbomoso road in Osun State. We were struck by a media report, which was reported on Osun State Radio and Television Stations on 3rd of May 2017, credited to one Mr. Kolapo Alimi a former commissioner and recently a cabinet member nominee in the Government of Osun State, Engineer Nurudeen Adeagbo, Permanent Secretary, Osun State Ministry of Works and one Hon. Kamil Oyedele a member of State House of Assembly representing Irepodun/Orolu State Constituency, that the award of the “Ojutu bridge was facilitated by His Excellency, Mr. Aregbesola Rauf, the Governor of Osun State and not by a Federal Honorable” as widely known. We therefore want to make it public that Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff, a Federal Honorable representing Irepodun /Orolu /Olorunda / Osogbo Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Abuja, and the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, facilitated the project as one of the capital projects attached to his office as the Deputy Speaker. We declare as follows in support of our stance that Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff facilitated the designing and construction of Ojutu Bridge.
1. The background to the construction of the bridge rests on Lasun’s belief that politics is an instrumentality of development. Hence, as soon as he became the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, on the 30th November 2015, Lasun wrote a letter (Ref: NASS/HR/DS/BNA/M5C/470), to the Hon. Minister of Works, Power and Housing, where he called the attention of the Hon. Minister to the deplorable condition of the said bridge and the need to design and construct a new bridge that could replace the existing narrow one that was about 102 years old. In his reply, the Hon. Minister assured Rt. Hon Lasun Yussuff of his esteemed support and regards. He also suggested that both of them would have to do the processing. On the part of Lasun Yussuff, the Hon. Minister suggested that he would send his ministry officials to inspect the bridge and Lasun Yussuff should mark the bridge as one of the projects earmarked for his office as his allocation of capital projects in his federal constituency. Both of them fulfilled their agreements, as a team from Federal Ministry of Works was sent to inspect the bridge in late December 2015. Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff also listed the bridge as one of his capital projects in his federal constituency.
2. It was also on record that Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff invited the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing to Ilobu Day 2015. Ilobu day is celebrated annually and since it usually pulls heavy traffic, there are often grills and standstill of vehicular movement on Ojutu Bridge, as the bridge could not allow the passage of two vehicles side by side. It was during that occasion that the Permanent Secretary (PS) passed on the bridge. The sight seen was ridiculous as the PS could not pass with his vehicle. He took the picture of the scene and presented his experience to the Hon. Minister of Works on his return to Abuja.
3. The design and construction of Ojutu Bridge was included in the 2016 budget draft by Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff as one of the capital projects allocated to his office as Deputy Speaker. Other capital projects included in the budget were: Asphalting of Osogbo/Ilobu/Ifon/Ilajue/Oyo state border road; Construction of 150 bed-space comprehensive hospital in Osogbo and the Construction of another 150 bed-space comprehensive hospital in Ilobu among others.
4. Consequently, all the above mentioned projects were captured in the 2016 budget. However, following the spurious allegation of budget padding that was orchestrated by Hon. Jubrin Mumin, the passage of that budget was stalled. As God would be on his side, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff was made as the Chairman of the committee that resolved the budget impasse caused by Hon. Jubrin Mumin. That singular opportunity enabled Lasun Yussuff to clear the dust on all the projects he had earlier facilitated in the 2016 budget.
5. The harmonized budget, which contained all the capital projects allocated to Lasun Yussuff as Deputy Speaker was approved and signed to law by His Excellency, President Mohammed Buhari. Thus, all the projects got force of law and remained to be executed.
a. In October 2016, a bid for the award of the contract was called for and the processes including both financial and technical biddings were concluded in December 2016. It is also on record that Hon. Minister of Works visited Osun State on 23rd March 2017 to inspect all the capital projects allocated to Hon. Lasun Yussuff in the 2016 budget; and other capital projects ongoing in Osun State. It was on record that the Governor of Osun State Mr. Aregbesola Rauf did not mention the Ojutu Bridge to the Minister. The Governor also was not part of the entourage of the Hon Minister when he visited Ojutu Bridge.
6. The contract was awarded to Messrs Preconsmith Construction Ltd, who might have been mobilized. The site Engineer of the Company reported at the constituency Relation Office of Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff in Osogbo on 28th April 2017. The Constituency Relation Office is presently in charge of allocation of construction site, accommodation and boarding for all the technicians and engineers that would be involved in the project.
Conclusion: The Constituency Relation Department of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives is not interested in politicizing development. As mentioned above Rt Hon Lasun Yussuff is seriously passionate on using politics as a major driver of development. To this end Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff within his first budget year as the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives has facilitated the following projects to his federal constituency:
(i) Construction of between 27 and 32 classrooms in the following schools in Osun State: Ogidan High School, Oke Bale, Osogbo; Islaudeen Middle School, Osogbo; Ima High School, Ilobu; L.A Primary School, Ilobu; and ADS High School, Erin-Osun. In each of these school projects are fixed with staff rooms, multipurpose hall, sets of adequate toilet facilities, library hall and ICT room.
(ii) Asphalting of Osogbo/Ilobu/Ifon/Ilajue/Oyo State border Road.
(iii) Construction of two Comprehensive Health Centre containing 150 bed spaces fully equipped and well furnished with all medical requirements in Osogbo and Ilobu.
(iiii) Construction of two mini water dams in Osogbo and Ilobu.
(v) Construction of Primary Health Care Centres at Ago Ayo, Oke Ijetu Behind Ilesa Garage in Osogbo and Ganga Area in Ilobu.
(vi) Asphalting of 3 Klm road at Apiponroro/Ileesi Road in Ifon Osun.
(vii) Street lightening of one Kilometer distance with Solar fitted street lights along Main road, Oroki Estate, Osogbo.
(viii) Empowerment through direct training and capital support of between N50,000 and N100,000 each for 600 young entrepreneurs drawn across Osun State in plantain farming, mushroom farming and digital technology training.
While we are delighted to appreciate and thank all those that believe in Lasun Yussuff, we assure all in Osun state that Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff will expand his development interventions to cover the spectrum of Osun State. We therefore enjoin some mischievous and malicious elements associated with the government of Osun State to desist from parading indecent lies in an attempt to glorify their dwindling images and political personalities.
Thanks for listening.
Signed
Dr. Aderemi Suleiman Ajala
Special adviser to
The Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Lasun Yussuff on Constituency Relations
Office of the Deputy Speaker
House of Representatives
Three Arms Zone
White House
Abuja.
Social Media Links
Facebook – www.facebook.com/osundotlife
Instagram – www.instagram.com/osundotlife
Twitter – www.twitter/osundotlife
Kindly share this story | All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from OSUNDOTLIFE.
Contact: editor@osun.life
WhatsApp: 📲 +2348092333666