Kwara Govt constructs 143 roads in three years

By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

No fewer than 143 rural and urban roads across the 16 local government areas of Kwara state have been constructed and rehabilitated by the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in three years.

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr. Rotimi Iliyasu, while speaking at a ‘Newskeg’ programme of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara Council.

The Commissioner, who said the roads constructed covered over 100 kilometres in length, added that all the roads were constructed and rehabilitated with quality materials that would make them durable.

Ilyasu added that the adminstration has also done maintenance works on over 200 roads in the three senatorial districts in the state within the period.

He further said that work on the Tanke flyover is at the preliminary stage, adding that necessary safety measures and alternative routes have been put in place and provided to reduce hardship of computers plying the route.

The Commissioner, who said as soon as the 2022 budget is passed by the House of Assembly other works on the flyover would commence in earnest, urged the federal government to support the state government in ensuring speedy completion of its ongoing road projects in the state.

Iliyasu, who said the state government has intensified monitoring and quality assessment measures on the roads to ensure that the contractors engaged work to specifications, pleaded with the people to desist from pouring refuse into drainages and setting bonfire on the roads, adding that the habit damages roads in no time.

He said that the state government in collaboration with security agencies would embark on arrest and prosecution of offenders, especially shop owners along such roads.

“There’s need for attitudinal change among our people, especially artisans and shop owners along major roads in the state, particularly in Ilorin metropolis. They gather refuse and burn it inside the drainages thus damaging the roads. What they don’t know is that government would spend money meant for other people- oriented projects on repair of the damaged roads. The state government would soon start prosecuting shop owners along such roads”, he stressed.