The Federal Government has taken over the funding of the construction of Kishi-Kaiama road and dualization of Michael Imodu- Ganmo road in Ilorin from the state government.
It has also awarded the construction of Ilorin-Omu-Aran-Kabba, Share-Pategi, Pategi-Kpada-Niger boundary roads.
The Kwara State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Aro Yahaya revealed this during an interview with journalists in Ilorin at the weekend.
He also disclosed that the roads have been captured in the Federal Government’s 2017 budget.
On the dualization of the Michael Imodu – Ganmo road, he noted that the construction company, CGC, initially awarded the contract prior to the takeover by Federal Government will carry out the construction.
He recalled that the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed had in 2014 flagged off the construction of the 64 kilometer Kishi-Kaiama federal road in the northern part of the state and had started the construction prior to the takeover by Federal Government.
The commissioner noted that the decision of the State government to construct the road was driven by the need to promote the wellbeing and boost commerce as the rehabilitation will reduce the hardship experienced by the people on the route.
Alhaji Yahaya further disclosed that the state government had expended the sum of N500m on the construction of the road before the Federal Government took over the funding of the project.
He therefore called on the Federal Government to fast track the release of funds to the contractor in charge of the project to ensure speedy completion in order to ease the hardship faced by the people plying the road.
The Commissioner also urged the Federal Government to refund the money spent on the road and other federal roads in the state so that the state government can utilize the money on other infrastructural projects in the state.
He noted that the State government will not hesitate to continue to carry out palliative measures on the roads subject to agreement with the contractors.
