Following the approval of the overhauling of the major artery road by AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led Kwara State Executive Council, the Ministry of Works and Transport on Wednesday announced the reconstruction of Wahab Folawiyo (Unity Road) Road in Ilorin, the state capital.
In a statement released by Hon. Bola Olukoju, Commissioner for Communications, said the Coordinating Commissioner for Works and Transport AbdulQuawiy Olododo, while briefing the newsmen, disclosed that “phased works on the road, such as asphalt milling, will begin from next week with minimal drags on vehicular traffic at every stage of the work. The contractor will complete work on one lane before working on the other to reduce traffic gridlock.”
According to Olododo, dozens of traffic management officers would be deployed while the government — to lessen the impacts — will also divert traffic through Obbo Road, Coca-Cola Road, and Police Road. Some bad spots on the three are to undergo immediate fixing, adding that further information on traffic management will be communicated to the public as preparation gets underway, assuring the people of adequate care while the work lasts.
Olododo said, “Following extensive briefings, including procurement details, the council approved the total reconstruction of the busy Wahab Folawiyo four-lane dual carriageway (Unity Road) in Ilorin — a significant step that aligns with the concerns of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq that many of the roads in the capital city have long outlived their engineering lifespan.
“The contract was awarded to the A-list Craneburg Construction firm at the cost of N1,513,528,195.18.
He added, “We are not demolishing any private properties and business premises not sited on government’s setbacks will not be eaten into in any way.”
However, the cabinet has also approved the award of construction of a modern flyover to collect the traffic at Unity roundabout to Craneburg Construction at the cost of N8.4bn for the duration of 12 months.
“Because of the peculiarity of that axis of the metropolis, the Governor directed that contractors are to devise means to as much as possible avoid outright closure of the road. They are to pay extra attention to this. This is to ensure convenience for the people amid this huge development,” the commissioner said.
Furthermore, the council has approved the revocation and re-award or review of some ongoing road contracts, including Ilesha Gwanara and Owode-Ofaro-Alabe road, for poor performance or delay in their delivery, while it called for speedy completion of others, including the Orisa bridge in Oro Ago in Ifelodun local government area of the state.
Olododo, while giving more updates, said the AbdulRazaq-led government has secured multibillion naira road projects that connect different parts of the state, especially Kwara North and South, adding that the governor has directed the approach sections of the road to the Orisa bridge be fixed as soon as possible, while the Iyana Shonga Road in Edu local government are to be evaluated for rehabilitation works.
“His Excellency informed the cabinet that work is to begin shortly on some major roads in Kwara North and Kwara South as contractors have been mobilised to the site with at least N40bn. This is what His Excellency has attracted as our major gain from some recent policy initiatives of the Federal Government,” according to the commissioner.
The commissioner listed the major roads rehabilitation to include Kosubosu-Kaiama-Bode Sa’adu (130km), Lafiagi-Shonga-Bacita (83km), Okuta-Gwanara-Bukoro (32km), and Offa-Ojoku-Afon-Eiyenkorin (49km) which will burst out at Odo-Otin local government in Osun State.
The commissioner also said that some of the roads and river crossings captured under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project will soon begin, including Afon -Sapati Oko-Igbotele; Mondala-Yowere-Agbonna; Kpandarako-Ginda-Kusomunu-Kachitako-Tsakpata Lealea-Gulufu-Bacita; Lafiagi-Effagi-Pututa; Ajase Ipo-Igbonla-Agbamu-Osun boundary; Ojoku-Illa market; Ijagbo-Aperun-Adeleke-Igbawere; Igbaja-Ofarese-Wale-Agbeku; Gerewu-Eiyenkorin-Okolowo-Express-Peeke-Dongari-Ogundele; Kaiama-Kemanji; and Oro-Sanmora, among others.
However, the commissioner said that the ministry had established a desk office contact for state residents to seek clarifications or report any issue to the government on ongoing projects. The contact telephone lines are 08106844487 and 08132119543.
