27/05/2018
*Fayose's Flyover Unnecessary and a Waste of Resources - NIMG*
The Nigeria Infrastructure Monitoring Group, NIMG, after its one day monitoring mission to Ekiti State to give on the spot assessment of the current level of work on the on-going overhead bridge in Ado Ekiti yesterday, has described the project as unnecessary and a waste of the state scarce resources.
The head of the three-man team, Engr. Hamsat Adams, FNSE, in a brief interaction with the DailyTelegraph said his team was in Ado Ekiti on an independent monitoring and observation mission on the Fajuyi flyover bridge.
Engr. Adams said his coming to Ekiti was to enable his agency assess the progress of work on the flyover bridge based on the loan agreement the state government had with the Federal government on the project and other ones.
"I can tell you that we are satisfied with the progress of work. But come to think of it, there was no need for this flyover bridge in the first instance. "How do you describe this project, an overhead bridge on a dryland or a flyover? If you call it a bridge, I will say this is unnecessary, if you call it a flyover, I will ask, where are the congestion here. Look, flyovers are built on a very difficult intersection to prevent congestion and provide a more convenient way to navigate over the traffic. In this case, I asked, where is the traffic here?"
"On the design of the bridge, I will say it is even more complicated. In my own opinion, the length of the bridge is unnecessary, it is rather too long and narrow. Going by the design, it will even constitute more traffic challenges to road users more than when there was no bridge here. Whatever the state government must have put into consideration before embarking on this flyover project, I say it is unnecessary and a waste of scarce resources. This is just a project in its fancy. In my own little knowledge of engineering, this is an infrastructure misplaced."
Talking about the cost of the project, Engr. Adams said: "Like I have said earlier, the project in itself is a waste of resources. Governance is about placing infrastructure for the best and maximum benefit of the people. I don't see the urgent need for this project at this point in Ado Ekiti. If a Governor will tell his people that he has committed about ₦14 billions on a project like this, then it is also good for such people to ask some questions from the governor. This is not about politics, but talking as a professional, I will tell anyone there is no need for this project."
On the Oja Oba modern market, Engr. Adams simple said: "We would request from the Governor why the project was stopped. They need to provide information on the Oja Oba modern market. It will help our records."
