TAIWO FAROTIMI
The Osun State government has faulted the claim by the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP that it spent N4.6 billion on the construction of some trailer parks, which projects have now been abandoned. A statement issued in Osogbo on Thursday by the state commissioner for information and strategy, Lani Baderinwa said the opposition party stood the fact on its head.
Though he said there was a failed attempt at building trailer parks in four locations connecting Osogbo, the state capital, “the government had no financial commitment to the execution of the contract, and it had been terminated for a very long time.” According to Baderinwa , the contract was awarded to Safeway Track Solution Ltd in 2011, on the understanding that the company whose proposal brought about the idea was going to finance the projects.
On completion of the parks said to be proposed for Osogbo-Ikirun road, Osogbo-Akoda road, Osogbo-Ilesa road and Osogbo-Iwo road, the concessionaire was supposed to run them for 25 years before handing over to the state government. In the period of the 25 years however, the government was expected to earn 30% from the total profit from the parks, while Safeway Track Solution would take 70%.
The award agreement also indicates that Safeway would provide all the amenities at the park to make them operational. The only thing the government was required to provide, which it did provide, was the land in the affected locations. The commissioner added that the cost of the land , N320 million was part of the N4.6 billion total cost. However, he said the award was terminated because the company had challenges and could not execute the contracts as earlier agreed.
While stating that “The administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has been transparent and prudent” on contract awards and governance issues, Baderinwa lampooned PDP for indulging in deliberate distortion of facts.
