Success Nwogu, Ilorin
The Kwara State Government on Tuesday said it had so far invested about N7bn in road projects in the state since the inauguration of the Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund in September, 2016.
The Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Aro Yahaya, stated this during an interview with journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, adding that the IF-K had energised the financing and continuous construction of abandoned, inherited and new projects.
He stated that all contractors had been mobilised to sites, stressing that the state government was not owing contractors except those that delayed in the submission of the necessary documents.
He said no fewer than 20 projects had been completed under IF-K.
He listed some of the projects as Oko-Oro-Ago Bridge; the construction of Oniju Street at Babaloma; construction of Oloro Palace Road; rehabilitation of Fate Roundabout to Agric , Ilorin; rehabilitation of Adualere-Isale Koto Ojagboro, Ilorin; rehabilitation of Henry George- Agbo-Oba Road; and construction of Obbo-Ile Isapa Road.
Others are the rehabilitation of Old Garage Central Mosque, Mission Road; rehabilitation of Henry George Roundabout; Mini Campus-Sammill Road Junction and the construction of Oko Idofin Odo-Ase/Odo Aga.
He added that there were 18 ongoing projects under IF-K=18, which include the construction of Pipeline Bridge; construction of Amule Saraki Bridge; construction of Coca Cola Road, among others.
Yahaya said, “We have disbursed about N7bn from September 2016 till date to roads construction. Before the IF-K, most of our contractors had abandoned their work and left the sites. Immediately we started the IF-K, the contractors had hoped for regular payment and left the sites.
“If we have any delay by one or two days to pay contractors, it is because they have not submitted their documents. All projects under the IF-K will be completed before or at the end of this administration except if the contractor is not performing as expected and when it happens, we will terminate the contract so that nobody will delay us.”
The commissioner said the state government was working to fill up potholes on many roads in the state, adding that government placed premium on road construction and the construction of the Geri-Alimi underpass to facilitate easy transportation in the state and avoid congestion in Ilorin metropolis in particular.
Yahya expressed delight at the 64km Kaiama-Kishi Road, whose construction the Federal Government had taken over from the state government.
He noted that the state government had invested about N500m in road construction before the Federal Government took it over.
He stated that the state Ministry of Works and Transport and the Federal Ministry of Works were jointly supervising the project approved by the Federal Executive Council.
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