Ikorodu-Sagamu Road: Arab Contractors Warned Not To Give Contracts To Fashola’s Cronies
As the Federal Government kicked off the reconstruction of the 36-kilometre Ikorodu-Sagamu road, the contactor, Messrs Arab Contractor O.A.O. Nigeria Limited, has been warned not to give sub contracts and supplies of the reconstruction to any set of people but make it open to all and transparent.
The reconstruction, which will cost the government N20.845 billion began on Monday with the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) performing the kick off exercise.
The National Chairman of Nigeria Agents of Change, Hon. Doyin Johnson raised an alarm to a directive which he said Fsshola allegedly made during the kick off exercise that whoever wants to be a supplier and sub contractor must have the endorsement and recommendation of a political leader in Ikorodu in person of Chief Olorunfunmi Basorun who is a core Ikorodu-based politician and an alleged factional leader.
Johnson, who is also the National Vice Chairman (South west), Coalition of APC Support Groups, an Amalgamation of All APC certified and registered support groups nationwide, said that he didn’t expect such statement from the Minister, a political leader from Lagos State, warning Arab Contractors, which is the sole contractor that have the power and authority to give out sub contracts and supplies to any individual and organisation that such should be given out to people who are deemed to qualify and meet up with the required standards of the company irrespective of where they come from.
He warned Arab Contractors to be very careful not to allow Nigerian politicians to tarnish the image the company has built over the years in Nigeria.
He also warned that there will be periodic intelligent monitoring of the Ikorodu – Sagamu road project and activities as all machineries will be deployed to thwart the Minister’s plan to influence the award of sub contracts and supplies to his loyalists in Ikorodu and its environs. He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call his ‘Super Minister’ to order so that he won’t drag his anti- corruption war backward.
“I want to warn that any attempt to influence the supplies and subcontracts of the reconstruction of Ikorodu-Sagamu road through the said Chief Olorumfunmi Basorun will not only be condemned but also be exposed to the world, ” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, over the years roads that connect Lagos State to Ogun State via Ikorodu have been in very bad conditions. This has made lives difficult for people living in the northern part of Ikorodu down to Odogunyan, Ita Oluwo, Ogijo with over one million residents using the road on daily basis to find their daily foods.
“I must give special appreciations to those who have played major roles for the fulfilment of APC 2015 campaign promise on road dualization extended to Ikorodu-Sagamu road right from President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fasola, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Hon. Babajimi Benson and others, ” he said.