By Emmanuel Oluwakorede, Lokoja
Recently, a lecturer with the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Chief Olorunsuwa Elijah Ola, claimed in a widely circulated social media post that the ongoing Kabba-Olle-Iluke Road project was being sponsored by the World Bank.
He made the comment while reacting to a post on one of the WhatsApp groups where certain persons in Bunu, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area appreciated the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara rtd and the Education Commissioner, Wemi Jones for their efforts in facilitating the Road.
Chief Ola claimed that the road project is been handled by the World Bank and not Kogi State Government.
While relevant stakeholders especially Commander Omodara called him to retract the Statement, he blatantly refused , claiming that he should be fact-checked.
Although, he has written a letter to retract his statement, after he was arrested by the Kogi State Police Command in Ilorin, it is pertinent to verify his claims to know the truth of the matter.
Chief Ola in his submission refused to provide evidence to back the claim, even though such projects are typically tied to identifiable World Bank initiatives such as ACReSAL, RAAMP, a Federal Government programme.
During a Fact-checking mission to the two World Bank Projects that could likely execute such a project, showed that the World Bank did not approve the Road for reconstruction.
A source at the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project coordinating office in Lokoja disclosed that the Project only executed erosion control in Kabba and does not have the approval to rehabilitate any road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government.
Also, Kogi State is implementing the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a Nigerian government program designed to repair rural roads and help farmers transport their goods to markets.
During an interview with the Project Executor Staff of the Project, it was revealed that such project does not exist in the budgets and approvals of the Programme.
The Kogi State Government had earlier announced plans to rehabilitate the Kabba-Olle-Iluke Road, which has been in a dilapidated state, causing hardship to the largely farming population of Bunu land.
The road’s bidding process had been approved by the State Executive Council, chaired by Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Investigations by newsmen found no evidence linking the project to the World Bank.
The Ministry of Works in the State is the only one that made advertisement for the road and two others.
See attached of the Advertisement on one of the national dailies.
THE RETRACTION
Following invitation by the State Police Command, Chief Ola acknowledged his error and issued a signed letter of apology to the state government, titled “RETRACTION AND APOLOGY TO KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT ON MY PUBLICATION ON CONSTRUCTION KABBA-OLLE-ILUKE ROAD.”
In the letter, he stated: “I had in my earlier write-up adduced that the construction of the said road is to be sponsored by the World Bank based on the information at my disposal as of the time of publication of the said WhatsApp piece.”
He added: “Recent information has however confirmed that the said road construction is a sole project of the Kogi State Government.”
He further stated: “This is to correct the earlier write-up and offer an unreserved apology to the State Government as the publication is not meant to cause any embarrassment to the state.”
CONCLUSION
The claim that the World Bank is funding the Kabba-Olle-Iluke Road is false. The project is solely sponsored by the Ododo-led Kogi State Government, alongside two other ongoing road projects — the Bassa and Ibaji roads — currently receiving government attention.
In fact, if the State is to follow the law, Chief Ola should have been facing the wrath of the law by being charged to Court as he has misled the public.
Thanks to the State Government for handling the matter with maturity and the State Police Command should be commended for the professional way it handled the matter.
