TheCable

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, says his administration will deliver 75km of the 110km Ibadan circular road project by 2023.

Makinde said this on Saturday, at the inauguration ceremony of the 2021/2023 executive council of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), held in Ibadan, the Oyo capital.

In 2017, the immediate past Oyo governor awarded 32km of the circular road project to ENL consortium for N70 billion.

The contract was, however, terminated in February 2021, after Makinde expressed concern over the slow pace of work.

Later in the year, the contract for 110km construction was awarded to SEL-Vydra Consortium at the cost of N138.2 billion.

Speaking at the event on Saturday, Makinde added that his administration has embarked on other projects aimed at transforming Ibadan into a 21st century city.

“We have roughly two years to re-image Ibadan and we are already on that path. A few of the projects we are doing in Ibadan are projects that can lead Ibadan to a 21st century city,” he said.

“We have commissioned the remodeled Lekan Salami Stadium when majority of states in Nigeria are talking about insecurity, kidnapping, banditry and insurgency. We were still at Adamasingba at 10pm; a foreign club was with us and we were not afraid.

“In terms of infrastructure, the circular road is one project that would change the landmark in Ibadan. It is 110 kilometres, and before our tenure ends in 2023, 75 kilometres of it will be delivered.

“Many people have said they like the light-up project we have done already. The one we have done in Ibadanland alone is not up to 30 percent of what we plan to do.

“We are actually supposed to light up 156 kilometres of road in Ibadan, and all they have done is less than 50 kilometres.”