By Kazeem Badmus
MOTORISTS and residents of Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun have frowned over the delay in opening the Olaiya flyover.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola while flagging off the construction of the flyover in February 2021, had promised that the project would be ready in nine months.
However, the state government failed to deliver on the promised date, citing improved aesthetics, expansion of scope of work and torrential rainfall witnessed in Osogbo coupled with the desire not to compromise standards as reasons for the delay in completing the Olaiya Flyover at the scheduled time.
The government assured residents that the project would be delivered before the end of the year 2021.
But the government also failed to deliver the project at the end of last year as promised.
Residents and motorists who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, lamented the delay in commissioning the flyover.
The residents and motorists said the government lacks empathy for the people plying the road in the face of the hardship they face on alternative routes.
A motorist, Mr. Kola Abayomi, berated the state government for the delay, saying the flyover ought to have been opened for use.
Abayomi said the government has shown insensitivity to the plight of the people, hence, the reason for it to fail on its promises.
He said: “This government has shown that they do not care about the welfare of the citizens. How can a government be changing dates like someone changing clothes just to open a flyover! We don’t have any trust in this government again.
“I strongly believe this flyover is ready for use but as you can see, they are busy painting it as if that is what matters. We are tired of using the alternative roads and the government should waste no more time in opening the flyover for us”.
“All the designs attached to that bridge is a misplace of priority. A flyover is not an amusement park where people gather to relax and enjoy themselves. It would have been better if the government diverted the money use for all the paintings to another thing.”
Mr. Maxwell Adegoke, a resident of Osogbo in his own view, sees the delay as an attempt to use the flyover as a means of campaigning for the re-election of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
Adegoke also said there may be truth in the rumour flying around that the state government is trying its best to woo some political bigwigs to commission the flyover which was yet to yield any positive results.
He said: “I think like most politicians, what the state government is trying to do is to delay the commissioning of the flyover in order to use it for campaign.”
