Oyo Assembly set to question LG boss over stoppage of projects, poor attitude

The Assembly’s resolution at Tuesday’s plenary to summon Omiyale followed a motion by Minority Leader, Honourable Ademola Ige of Omiyale stopping of officials of Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) from rehabilitating Muslim-Odinjo road and preventing Honourable Fatai Adesina of Ibadan South East II constituency from erecting a borehole in the area.

Though Honourable Safiu Olalere of Ido constituency, in his report, said Omiyale attributed the stoppage of the said rehabilitation works to inadequate funding, members like Honourable Adesina said Omiyale usually exhibited poor relations with lawmakers, especially stopping his own project.

Adesina’s observation of Omiyale’s purported project stoppage had drawn the ire of lawmakers like Honourable Muideen Olagunju of Oyo East/Oyo West constituency and Ganiyu Oseni of Irepo/Olorunsogo constituency who said Omiyale’s attitude was becoming unbecoming, hence should be invited to plenary for questioning.

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Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Olagunju Ojo, had subsequently ordered that Omiyale is invited to its next sitting on November 3, 2017.

Meanwhile, Omiyale has denied stopping any project, describing the allegations as having political colouration.

Speaking with Tribune Online against the backdrop of the invitation, Omiyale said it was virtually impossible for him to stop a project embarked upon by the Oyo State government, through OYROMA.

This is as he added that thugs, which are peculiar to the LG, may have been the ones who disturbed Honourable Adesina at his project site.

“The two lawmakers have been my friend for three and a half years and we have had a good relationship. I don’t think any reasonable local government Chairman will stop anybody that wants to contribute to the development of his community. The election is approaching and what is playing out is politics and they want to use the House of Assembly to fight me.

“But, I will not fight with anybody. Is it possible for a local government Chairman to stop OYSROMA? Moreover, such project will develop the community. There is no dispute between us. I have my own borehole that I have done the survey about three weeks ago.

“My local government is peculiar as it contains areas like Beere, Oranyan and miscreants tend to disturb anyone who wants to embark on the project. Honourable Adesina even called me that he was hampered by miscreants and I promised to lead his Personal Assistant to the project site but he never called back.

“I have done the survey for three sites, Kobomoje, Elekuro, where he came from, and Wesley College. After we had done our survey, the lawmaker said he wanted to do his project within the same area and I told him to ask his personal assistant to come and see me so I can lead him to the project site.

“Even when the said project commenced, I was not around. I’m surprised he is linking me to those thugs that disturbed him at the project site. I, my Director of Works or my staffs were not there,” Omiyale said.

Tuesday’s sitting also saw the passage of Oyo State Bureau of Investment Promotion and Public-Private Partnership bill, 2017 into law.

The law will provide for the establishment of the bureau in the state.