From Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
Kwara state government has said that it worked on a total number of 143 roads since the inception of the present administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq three years ago.
Speaking with journalists during a news programme called News Keg Series, organised by the Correspondents’ chapel of the Kwara state NUJ in Ilorin on Thursday, the state commissioner for Works and Transport, Rotimi Ilyasu, said that the administration had also done maintenance works on over 200 roads in the three senatorial districts in the state within the period.
The Works and Transport Commissioner, who said that the 143 roads included majorly rural roads, added that asphaltic, interlock road construction and reconstruction, as well as rehabilitation, were carried out on them.
The commissioner also said that the state government had intensified monitoring and quality assessment measures on the roads among the contractors engaged, pleaded with members of the public to desist from burning refuse in drainages, saying 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 the 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 said.
The commissioner, who cleared the air on the ongoing construction of a flyover at Tanke area of the Ilorin metropolis, said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had not taken the state government to court over the project against assumption in some quarters.
He said that contractor was continuing with work on the project, adding that the NNPC was also involved in the construction relating to its pipeline along the flyover project.
“The work has not stopped on Tanke flyover project. It is ongoing. It’s just that the contractor is taking professional consideration of the work to ensure quality job, assuring that the project would be completed according to specification and within the specified time.
Ilyasu, who said that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq was committed to make Kwara state a better place, added that the state government was also embarking on the construction of some federal roads such as Kishi-Kaiama, Ilorin-Kabba, Ilesha Baruba-Yashikra-Chikanda, Share-Patigi road among others in different parts of the state.
