Ajadi described the appointment of Dr. Anthony Adebayo Adepoju as Chairman amidst others as a round peg in a round hole, as their vast experience and enthusiasm in governance will ensure efficiency and effectiveness in their line of duty.

While congratulating them, Ajadi charged them to find a lasting solution to the long bedeviled condition Ogbomoso water works.

He eulogized the town rating her as being one of the oldest city in Oyo state whose fame and prestige predates many years back. It was founded in the 17th century and it has over a million people living and working in the city.

He further stated that Ogbomoso has also produced some of the most successful people in Nigeria contributing their quota to the development of the town.

While commenting on the current state of works, he mentioned that the project was commissioned by the premier of the then western region on 10th of October 1964.

When the states were created by General Yakubu Gowon, the project was included under Oyo State Water Corporation. Under Ogbomoso district, there were schemes such as the one in Yaku, Ogbomoso, another one in Ajinapa, Ogbomoso and that of Igbeti in Oke-Ogun zone of the state. That of Yaku was the district headquarters.

Furthermore he stated that historically, the Water Corporation of Oyo State evolved out of the then Western Nigeria Water Corporation through the enabling Water Corporation of Oyo State Edict number 24 of 1977, and as reviewed by the Water Corporation of Oyo State (Amendment) Law of 2006.

Ajadi said “According to information on the corporation’s website, the vision of the state corporation is “to be the leading water utility in Africa.” Also, the corporation states the following as its strengths: available production capacity, manpower to handle all production stages at the waterworks, competent information technology and billing staff, existing customer base that creates high demand for treated water, and production process that conforms to the World Health Organisation guidelines and Nigerian standards.”

Ajadi enumerated issues affecting its performance thus; the (then) ongoing road expansion works which destroyed and buried distribution networks and resulted in leaks and bursts and creating dry zones; lack of enough repair materials; dilapidated treatment plants; electromechanical breakdown, and unreliable power supply.

“Various reasons have been given by stakeholders for the current state of the water corporation. Residents of the host community lamented that despite the contributions of the project in the past, successive administrations in the state have paid little or no attention to funding and upgrading of the facilities.” He added.

The foremost student Law Maker in the state noted that after the inauguration of the project by the government of the Western Region in 1964, the first renovation only took place during the regime of a military administrator of Oyo State, Compol (Prince) Amen Edore Oyakhire, and was inaugurated on Thursday, April 8, 1999, 35 years later. The renovation was done under the National Water Rehabilitation Project. Again, another attempt at renovating the project was made towards the end of the tenure of Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala as governor.

According to tribuneonline.com interview of one of the elder in the community in some days back,

Speaking on the state of the facility, a senior citizen in the community, Mr Akinkunmi Hassan, said: “If Alao-Akala were not an indigene of Ogbomoso, maybe no attempt would have been made to renovate the project since the return to civil rule in 1999. I think successive administrations might have been embezzling the funds meant for the project.” He said..

The student parliamentarian futher appealed to the newly inaugurated committee to take this as a matter of urgent public importance, find a lasting solution to the said projects as this will not add to the achievements of the current government alone, but also remain a source of revenue generation for the state.

AJADI ISAAC OLUWASEGUN

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