Kwara govt. breaks silence on Tanke Fly-Over project

The Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led government of Kwara state on Thursday disclosed that the ongoing construction of a flyover project at Tanke area of the Ilorin metropolis has not received any court summon from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

ROYAL NEWS reports that there are assumptions among members of the public that the authority of NNPC had taken the state government to court over the project.

The commissioner for Works and Transport in the state, Engr. Rotimi Ilyasu, stated this in Ilorin while speaking with journalists.

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 specified time.

He also disclosed that no fewer than 143 roads have been rehabilitated since its inception three years ago.

He noted that the adminstration had also done maintenance works on over 200 roads in the three senatorial districts in the state within the period.

Ilyasu further said that such the 143 roads included majorly rural roads stressing 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 meaures 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 shopowners along such roads.

“There’s need for attitudinal change among our people, especially artisans and shopowners along major roads in the state, particularly in the Ilorin metropolis. They gathered 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.

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 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.