- Government not paying more attention to roads in the Northern region – Funsho Adebiyi
BY: Nmerichukwu Igweamaka
The Federal Government (FG) is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to ensure that all geo-political zones are part of the ongoing road networking project
Mr Funsho Adebiyi, Director, Highways, SouthWest, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, said this in Ibadan, Oyo State on Monday while addressing newsmen on completion of an inspection tour of Federal roads across the Southwest states.
He debunked claims that the government was paying more attention to roads in the Northern region than the Southern states.
National road projects are spread out based on reports and the status of the road network. Therefore it’s impossible for any zone to be left out.
Funds from the Sukuk bond and other funds have been made available and shared for road projects across all six geo-political zones.
However, differences in topography, soil condition and other things in the North and South are giving people the impression that the government is constructing more roads in the Northern zone.
For example, the budget for 100 kilometers road in places like Borno or Kastina will not complete 10 or 15 kilometers in Bayelsa state, he said.
According to him, every state in the southwest presently has felt the presence of the federal government regarding road construction and rehabilitation.
In fact, the entire country has never had it so good in the area of road infrastructure.
Among the ongoing road projects are Lagos -Ibadan sections I and II, handled by Julius Berger Construction Company and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), respectively.
Others are the new Oyo Ogbomosho road dualisation, being handled by RCC, and the Ogbomosho -Oko-Osogbo road, being handled by Dutum Construction company.
We still have the Ila Orangun -Ora-Ilale Ekan Meje road; Efon Alaaye Erinmo Iwaraja road; Ibadan -Abeokuta road, handled by Kopek Construction Company, and the Shagamu Ore road, handled by RCC, he said.
He also mentioned that he was impressed with the level of work done on the inspected roads and guaranteed that they would stand the test of time.
Commenting on the Lagos -Ibadan road, Adebiyi said that government had set aside a dedicated fund that would finish the ongoing construction work and there would no longer be any delay.
He implied that the past delay was due to inadequate funding of the road project the etc by the previous administration and this has been rectified.
He admonished road users to obey traffic laws and regulations, saying overloading and other traffic offences reduce the lifespan of roads.
He also warned residents of communities along roads to desist from drying farm products on such roads.
Adebiyi reiterated the current administration’s commitment to road construction and rehabilitation.
He also promised that all abandoned projects awarded by the
previous administration will be completed in due course.