By Dayo Johnson

AKURE—About N2.8billion has been approved for the rehabilitation of three dams by the Ondo State government to improve water supply in the state.

Sequel to this, a contract for the rehabilitation of the Awara dam, Ose/Owo dam and Ifon dam, all in the Northern district area of the state has been awarded by the state government.

Speaking with Vanguard, the Works Commissioner, Gboye Adegbenro,  said the Awara dam contract was awarded for N988million, while the Ose/Owo dam was awarded for N1.3billion and the Ifon dam for N559million.

He explained that the dams when completed would provide potable water to many parts of the northern senatorial district of the state.

According to him:“Successive governments in the state have spent billions on naira on water provision with little or no results, so we don’t want ours to be like that. When Mr. Governor came on board, we invited people that are experts in water provision and they advised us that if it is only two dams that we are able to do, we should face it and leave the rest to the next government that is coming.

“They argued that it can’t be possible for us to say we want to provide water for the entire state at once, we now agreed on Awara, Ose/Owo and Ifon dams”.

Adegbenro who said that the ongoing road projects were slowed down by the raining season pointed out that work would be fast tracked during the dry season.

Speaking on the award of the N14billion Owena Multipurpose dam by the immediate past administration in the state, Adegbenro said that government would continue with the projects as the last administration had paid the contractor about N4billion of the contract sum.

The Commissioner noted that the contractor has been ordered back to the site so as to complete the project that had been started by it.

He however said that the last administration amongst other lapses failed to do the route survey before awarding the contract and that the present administration had to engage consultants to do it.

Adegbenro said that the present administration is to asphalt all the 364.9 kilometer surface dressed roads constructed by the immediate past administration because of their sorry state.

He added that other township roads are to be constructed across the state as soon as the rains are over in the state.

According to him the state government has paid over N900million to owners of houses and shop at the Arakale/Isinkin road which is to be dualised by government.

Adegbenro pointed out that contractor would soon move to site to commence work on the dualisation of the Arakale/Isinkan road.

He assured that by February next year the rehabilitation work on the Oba Adesida which life spans was expected to be 25 years but had left unattended to for 35 years would be completed.

According to him government is still negotiating with PHCN and Water Corporation on the movement of electricity lines and water pipes that would have top be relocated in the process of rehabilitating the Oba Adesida road.