Published on February 11, 2013 by pmnews · No Comments
GBENRO ADESINA/IBADAN
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Nigeria’s western state of Oyo today reopened the reconstructed Secretariat-Bodija Bridge in Ibadan with a pledge that his administration would put a stop to needless destruction occasioned by flooding.
The construction of the bridge according to the governor cost N485million.
The bridge, in the heart of Ibadan, was washed away by the August 26, 2011 flood which claimed several lives and properties in the state.
The bridge had also earlier suffered similar fate, as it was affected by the floods which ravaged the city of Ibadan in 1964 and 1980 and had since been neglected by past administrations.
Ajimobi , with guests like Senator Tinubu, opens the new bridge
The governor, who re-christened the bridge “Restoration Bridge’’, said that immediately after the disaster, his administration set to work, adding “we began a systematic and aggressive exercise of widening water channels and dredging of rivers, so as to allow for free flow of water. I am proud to announce that our vision of repositioning the state is being achieved daily as this government marches on. Many governors had passed through; some wanted to do it, time did not permit them. Some also wanted to do it, but politics and other distractions did not allow them. Some others also wanted to do it; they dreamt about it but they have now woken up from their sleep; now, we dreamt about it, we woke up and we have actualized it”.
Governor Ajimobi said that the delivery of the project was a testimony to his administration’s determination to impact on the lives of the people positively, lessen their sorrows and take away their fears.
The governor, who said that with the inauguration of the bridge, flooding of the river channel and its attendant problems have now been buried and forgotten and assured the people of the state that his government would continue on this path to ensure the full accomplishment of its mission.
“This bridge shall resume, from today, its invaluable contributions to the improvement of our people’s socio-economic lives’’, the governor added.
He, however, stated that the bridge still needed some minor dressing to make it get to the quality standard for which his administration had recorded a wide reknown.
“While instructing the contractor to expedite work on its aesthetic beautification, our administration reckoned that our people could not be kept waiting for longer time before they started making use of the bridge for their socio-economic good; as such, the inauguration of the bridge today”, Governor Ajimobi said.
