Oyo State Government has said that the 10,000 metric tonnes (MT) silo project at Aawe in Oyo town would be completed by contractors within the next five months.
The contract had been a subject of litigation when the last administration revoked it. The contractor claimed it was at 68percent completion stage and headed for the law court to seek redress.
Muyiwa Jacob Ojekunle, Commissioner for Agriculture, explained that the present government met the project at the stage of incompletion and subject of litigation despite the disbursement of over 98percent of total contract sum by the immediate past administration and the work done to date was adjudged to be 67.8percent.
He said the present administration entered into dialogue with all stakeholders to settle the issue amicably out of court as it was in the interest of the state to have value for the huge amount of money already expended on the project.
“The present administration met the contract at 68percent completion and a lawsuit which we immediately entered into and settled amicably out of court. The result is what you are witnessing today,” he said.
“We have successfully resolved the issue and the contractor is back to the site today as documents relating to the contract have been perfected and he is to complete it to avoid waste of scarce resources.
“The contractor has promised that the completion period is five months and after this, we believe that our farmers will be the ones to benefit from the project as the present administration is poised to make farm produce available to the people at cheap price,” he added.
“The silo will assist in storing 10,000 metric tonnes of grains and other farm produce, while it will help in the export of farm produce that hitherto have always suffered destruction due to rot as farmers do not have facilities to store in this capacity,” the commissioner said.
Ojekunle charged the contractor to reciprocate the kind gesture of Governor Seyi Makinde, by swinging into action as soon as the fund was released to ensure the project would be of good quality and completed and delivered within the shortest period stipulated.
Mufutau Raheem, executive chairman, Rahvet International Limited, appreciated the Governor Makinde for the opportunity given his company to return for the completion of the project and gave his words of assurance by promising that the project would be completed and delivered at the stipulated period of five months’ time.
REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan.
