CLERIC REGRETS OBASANJO'S INABILITY TO COMPLETE OGBOMOSO-OYO ROAD

The General-Secretary of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Dr. Ademola Ishola, has regretted that despite his visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and his plea that the Ogbomoso-Oyo Road be completed before the former leader's tenure ended in 2007, the feat was not achieved.

Obasanjo is a long-standing member of the church.
Ishola expressed displeasure at the deplorable state of the road and the delay in its completion, almost six years after the construction work started under the former President.

He bared his mind during the dedication of one of the churches under the NBC in Ogbomoso on Sunday.

The clergyman noted that the delay in the completion of the road was impacting negatively on the economic well-being of the people of the affected communities.

He, therefore, urged Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala to open dialogue with President Goodluck Jonathan on the need to complete the road on time.

This, he added, had become imperative with the 2011 general election fast approaching.

Ishola said that the state government could complete the road for the benefit of the people of the area and later seek a reimbursement from the Federal Government, since 'the road is a Trunk 'A' road.'

He stressed the need for public office-holders to serve the people by ensuring the spread of the dividends of democracy.

Shortly after Ishola's message, however, Alao-Akala, who celebrated the third year anniversary of his administration during the church service, said he had just been informed that Jonathan had approved the completion of the highway.

'I have good news for this congregation and for the good people of Oyo State. I have been informed that my boss, President Goodluck Jonathan, has graciously approved the completion of the Oyo/Ogbomoso highway. I hope with that, in the next few weeks, work will commence on that part of the road,' he said.

Obasanjo inaugurated the construction of the road in November 2004, with an assurance that the Ilorin/Oyo/Ogbomoso highway, which had become a dangerous road, would be completed before the 2007 elections.

However, while the Ibadan/Oyo and Ogbonmoso/Ilorin portions have been completed, the Oyo/Ogbomoso portion remains uncompleted, leading to the cancellation of the job given to the initial contractor.