Blame Gbenga Daniel for your predicament – Ogun tells agro cargo contractor

Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta

Ogun state government has declared that it is ready for legal battle with the contractor, who claimed that the previous administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel owed him some money.

The contractor had during the inception of the present administration in 2011 contacted the state government, demanding money owed him by the previous government for designing the agro cargo airport.

Daniel’s government claimed to have commenced work on the site, but nothing visible can be seen on the site located at Iperu-Remo in Ikenne local government area of the state.

Speaking with newsmen at the site of the project during his inspection tour this week, Governor Ibikunle Amosun disclosed that his administration had contacted the contractor to release the design of the project but he failed to do so.

Amosun revealed that the said contractor had instituted legal action against the state government over the matter. Amosun noted that his government is ready to meet him in court.

“When we came on board in 2011, we were aware of the agro cargo airport project started by the previous administration and someone came to inform us that he was contracted then to design the project which he claimed to have done but was yet to be paid.

“He claimed that he must be paid before he can release the design. How on earth will I pay for what I have not seen? Amosun quizzed, adding that, he was said to have taken the matter to court, we are ready for him because we are not part of their agreement then, though, government is continuous, but I think it is reasonable for us to see what we are paying for.

“We will go ahead to embark on a new design of the project and one person or some group of people cannot box us to a corner with their antics. Many things will be revealed, once the matter commence and the good people of Ogun will hear a lot of revelation,” Amosun claimed.

On the abandoned International Airport project initiated ten years ago, Amosun revealed that efforts are in motion by his government to prevail on the federal government to resuscitate the project.

Amosun stated this at the site of the proposed airport located at Imosan village, Wasimi town in Ewekoro local government area of the state.

The governor who was accompanied on the inspection tour by his cabinet members, including the Chief of Staff, Prof.Ganiyu Olatunji and Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Barr. Taiwo Adeoluwa is optimistic that the airport can be completed.

Amosun said he had written a letter to the federal government to appeal and encourage it to complete the project, noting that, “since its benefits to the government and the people of the state are immense, government cannot afford to abandon it.”

He maintained that, though, the project is purely a federal government sponsored project, the state government is ready to facilitate it, so as to better the lots of its people.

“On assumption of office, records made available to me about the abandoned project initiated in 2005 as a conventional airport for cargo and international travels, shows that it had been awarded and certain amount of money was being earmarked for its construction annually.

“The perimeter fencing had been done. It is 5 by 5 kilometers. The survey and design is in place, but because of the way we are as a nation, it was stalled, but at least, we can physically see that the project does exist and we can only wish it gets to the advanced stage,” Amosun said.

On what becomes the fate of the villages and communities that will be affected in the area, the governor stated that there are plans by his administration not just to relocate the villagers, but to build new settlement areas that would be adorned with basic social amenities like potable water, electricity supply, hospitals, schools, security and other needed facilities for the betterment of the residents.