A civil society organization, The Osun Masterminds (TOM), has described the 332 boreholes to celebrate 100 days in the office of governor Ademola Adeleke as cosmetic projects.
The group posited that there are long-term projects that will benefit the people of Osun than sinking boreholes in 332 wards, saying the project is not progressive.
The executive director of TOM, Prof Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, who spoke at the monthly state of the state address in Osogbo, Friday, said it is demeaning and when considered carefully, unhealthy to sink public boreholes that community people will walk long distances to access.
“We have keenly followed events since governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke got into office. We have also followed his recent announcement of certain government initiatives ahead of his 100 days in office. We must say that no matter the thought behind the announced initiative, sinking boreholes across the 332 Wards in Osun state is not a progressive step at this point in the history of the state.”
The group noted that there are projects that are more comprehensive and provide more practical solutions to the water supply problems like the pending Ilesa water project, the abandoned mini water scheme of the Oyinlola administration, abandoned mini water projects of the Federal lawmakers that represented Osun between 2011 and 2015.
“The State is also not supposed to abandon projects on which several billion have been spent in the past, for such non-pragmatic projects like boreholes.
“We advise that the Governor reviews his government’s decision in this regard and take more futuristic steps on issues of governance going forward, as the goal of government is supposed to be long-term security of the livelihoods of citizens and not short-term applause,” the group added.
The group also condemned rising cases of kidnapping in the state, warning that cases of a battery of Okada riders in the name of coercing them to purchase tickets should be checked to forestall the breakdown of the law.
“We call on the Federal government to immediately find lasting solutions to the fuel scarcity situation in the country, to help stop the daily waste of productivity that the long fuel queues have brought about,” the group added.
