By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo
Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Mr Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday disclosed that the Federal Government is expending N113.67 billion on road construction and rehabilitation across Osun State.
This is as the Minister added that similar projects were ongoing in all the states of the federation as the federal government’s effort at revitalising road infrastructure in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister during an inspection tour of projects in Iwoye, Ede, Ife, Ipetu-ljesa and Apoti, the Federal Controller of the road in the state, Engineer Hezekiah Kehinde said the projects has created 10,000 direct jobs and about 30,000 indirect employment opportunities.
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Fashola said projects in the state were in two categories including emergency roads repair and major roads construction.
The roads where emergency repair intervention are ongoing include; Iwo-Osogbo road, where the first, second and third phase is 85% completed, Akoda-Ede-Osogbo road, Ife-Ifetedo-Ondo state boundary road, Ipetu-ljesa-Apoti-Ondo state boundary road, Ede-Kuta, Ilesa-Ijebu-Jesa road and Sekona-Ife (Mayfair road).
While the major road construction projects include, Osogbo-Ilesa road, Ila-Ekanmeje-Kwara state boundary road, Gbongan-Iwo road, dualisation of Ife-Osu-Ilesa road, Ilie bridge and Ojutu bridge.
“The Federal Government deem it necessary to invest in road infrastructure and to this end, the Federal Controllers of roads across the federation were asked to submit proposals for road repairs in their state for intervention. And presently, the contractor has been mobilised to all the roads and works are at different stages across the country.
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In Osun state alone, the federal government is executing roads projects worth N113.67 billion in both the emergency roads repair intervention and major roads projects. These projects have created 10000 direct jobs, while indirect job employment opportunity it created is in the neighbourhood of 30,000 in the state.
To make the job even more effective and efficient, the repair work on each road were awarded to different contractors and were time-bound”, the Minister said.
He added that apart from revamping the socio-economic activities in areas where the road projects were ongoing when completed, the Minister said security issues, such as kidnapping would also be put in check.
Motorists on Osogbo-Iwo road, Asafa Waliyu said the road was abandoned by motorists due to its deplorable state, but with the ongoing rehabilitation works, life is gradually returning to the route, which he described as the shortest to Oyo state.
“This road connects a lot of agrarian communities to the state capital and Oyo state, with work ongoing here, it will not just revive economic activities here, it will also curb the problem of insecurity. Besides rather than two hours travel time, it now takes about an hour to travel to Osogbo from Iwo”, he said.
