The Osun Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Mr Remi Omowaye, on Tuesday, said that the ministry would require N27 billion to fix the critically-damaged infrastructure in the state.
Omowaye made this known while appearing before the Osun House of Assembly Joint Committee on Finance and Appropriation to defend the budget of his ministry.
He said that the state governor, after collating data on the critical needs of the people of the state, discovered that about N27 billion would be needed to fix the damaged public infrastructure and roads in the state.
The commissioner said that the state government was working on rehabilitating some of the damaged roads and public buildings, adding, however, that paucity of funds and the economic situation of the state had been posing a serious challenge.
Omowaye said most of the infrastructure and roads in the state were ageing and urgently needed overhauling, repairs and maintenance but that lack of funds was impeding the work.
“The governor is doing his best to raise funds for work on critical infrastructure.
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“Some contractors being owed have stopped rehabilitation works on some of the damaged roads in the state.
“The ministry’s department of a public building is, however, rehabilitating some public structures and schools with the available funds.
“The state Ministry of Works is also working with the Federal Ministry of Works to fix and rehabilitate some of the federal roads in the state.
“We are, however, hoping and working towards getting refunds from the Federal Government for the rehabilitation works undertaken on these federal roads so that we can have funds to do repair works on other projects,” he said.
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Omowaye called for support and collaboration from the state lawmakers so that more critical infrastructural projects would be carried out in the state.
He also asked for the approval of the funds to execute the proposed 2020 projects.
Mr Taiwo Adebayo, the Chairman of the joint committee, commended the ministry for its efforts, assuring that the legislature would render the needed assistance in the area of facilitating approvals of funds for project execution in the state.