By Victor Adeoti
Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has urged the Federal Government to collaborate with the state on water supply projects.
This is contained in a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Malam Rasheed Olawale, on Friday in Osogbo.
The governor said that the Federal Government should collaborate with the state on Ile Ife, Iwo, and Ede water supply projects.
Adeleke had met with the Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar, in Abuja over the water supply projects.
He said his administration was ready to resolve all projects implementation challenges delaying the Ilesa water project.
He said he was ready for a tripartite consultation between the state government, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
According to him, such consultation will unravel details of the contractual and technical issues delaying the completion of the Ilesa water project.
He noted that the committee set up by the state government discovered a lot of irregularities in the contract implementation, leading to the suspension of the water project consultant.
“Osun is ready to join the league of states partnering with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and multilateral bodies to upgrade some of its water works.
“We will submit proposals for Iwo and Ede water projects. We also seek accelerated action on the ongoing Ile Ife project.”, he said.
During the meeting, Abubakar said that the ministry was ready to meet the technical committee from Osun to resolve issues delaying the Ilesa water project.
He decried the pollution of the water source at Ilesa by activities of illegal gold miners, and urged the state to intensify efforts to sanitise the mining environment.
The minister, however, called for the submission of technical proposals for the international and federal interventions for Ede and Iwo water works. (NAN)
