The Ondo State Government is set to commence the renovation and rehabilitation of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other government buildings across the state as part of efforts to reduce infrastructure deficit and provide a more conducive working environment for public servants.
The Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Engr. Ayorinde Abiola Olawoye, FNSE, FNICE, disclosed this during an inspection of selected government buildings in Akure alongside the Head of Service and a team of professionals from the ministry.
Speaking during the exercise, Olawoye said the assessment was being carried out in line with the directive of the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, to address the infrastructure deficit in government facilities and improve workers’ welfare.
According to the Commissioner, the initiative is another demonstration of the administration’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and the wellbeing of workers across the state.
“This is yet another testament to Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure development in the state and workers’ welfare. Mr. Governor gave a directive that we should reduce infrastructure deficit in all MDAs and government buildings in the state, and that is why we are here today with our architects, engineers and quantity surveyors from the ministry to begin preliminary studies.”
He explained that the inspection is the first stage of the process, with professionals from the ministry expected to assess the condition of the facilities, identify areas requiring intervention and determine the scope of work needed for their rehabilitation.
Olawoye noted that the exercise would provide the government with the necessary technical information to prioritise interventions and ensure that renovation works are properly planned and executed.
He stressed the importance of maintaining government facilities, noting that functional and well-maintained public buildings are essential to effective service delivery and the productivity of civil servants.
The Commissioner added that the administration remains committed to ensuring that government workers operate in environments that are safe, functional and conducive to efficient service delivery.
The Head of Service, Chief Olusegun Odusanya, who joined the Commissioner on the inspection tour, also inspected the selected facilities as part of efforts to identify areas requiring urgent attention.
Speaking with journalists during the inspection, the Head of Service expressed delight at Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s initiative to give the Secretariat a major facelift, describing the intervention as timely and significant to workers’ welfare.
Odusanya noted that some of the buildings were constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s and had since suffered serious infrastructural deficits, making urgent renovation necessary.
He said the initiative reflected the Governor’s commitment to providing workers with a conducive environment in which to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
The assessment team comprised architects, engineers and quantity surveyors from the Ministry of Lands and Housing, who are expected to conduct detailed technical evaluations of the buildings.
Olanrewaju Ayo
Special Assistant (Media & Publicity), Office of the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands & Housing.