Ondo spent N10bn on inherited road projects -OSOPADEC

Governor SegunMimiko's administration in Ondo State has paid about N10 billion in settling outstanding contract bills for road projects inherited from the previous administration.Mr Debo Ajimuda, the Chairman, Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Akure.Ajimuda said that the commission had settled most of the outstanding road contracts bills and had started fresh projects.According to him, the commission has awarded and executed ``life-impacting projects''.He said that the projects were water, road, electricity, new town development and capacity building programmes, adding that N3 billion had been spent on electricity projects in the oil-bearing areas from December 2010 to date.The electricity projects, he stated, included the 'national grid network extension from Alape Junction to Araromi-Olokola, national grid extension from Government Reservation Area (GRA) in Igbokoda to Ipinle and rural electrification of Araromi Seaside.He disclosed that the commission had awarded contracts for building projects in excess of N4 billion, including construction of 180 housing units at the cost of N996 million.Ajimuda said that other projects awarded by the commission were four basic health centres at the cost of N370 million, Mother and Child Hospital at Ugbonla at N187 million and General Hospital on raft foundation at Agadagba Obon, estimated to gulp N236.5 million.He said OSOPADEC had spent N165 million on support for the aged; scholarship/bursary awards, N263 million and micro-credit scheme, N350 million.'Others are support for the physically-challenged which cost the commission N10 million; sports development, N2 million and entrepreneurial development, N540 million.``The commission also awarded contracts for model schools at the cost of N946 million in various communities, as well as N401 million contract for the Omuro International Market, N200.6 million skills acquisition centre and N150.7 million sports centre, both at Ugbonla,'' he added.Ajimuda said that the projects, which were at different stages of completion, would transform the socio-economic life of the oil producing areas when completed.
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