Kwara spends N7b on roads

The Kwara State Government has spent over N7 billion on several road projects across the state under the State Infrastructure Development Fund.
This was disclosed on Monday by the State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, at the official commissioning of Federal Road Safety Corps RS8, Kwara State Office Complex, Ilorin.
According to the governor, the I-FK’s success has demonstrated the benefits of partnering with the private sector to fund key infrastructure projects.
Ahmed said: “Among road projects embarked on by this government are dualization of Kulende-UITH-Oke Ose road, Geri- Alimi Split Diamond Interchange, Share-Oke-Ode Road, Egbejila-Airport Road and Megida Arobadi road.”
Ahmed urged the private sector to synergise with governments under Public Private Partnership model to establish and fund infrastructure projects on a sustainable basis.
He said: “While I remain an advocate of stronger Federal/State synergy in the funding and provision of infrastructure, it is time we leveraged more on the private sector to provide key infrastructure, which as we all know is a major driver of social and economic development.”
According to the governor, PPP approaches ensure efficiency, guarantee funding for projects and insulate infrastructure from the challenges associated with government financing of projects.
Ahmed also disclosed that the second phase of the Light-Up Kwara project has commenced as streetlights had been installed along major streets in the state capital, promising to extend the project to other roads across the state.
Earlier in his address, the Corps Marshall of the FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, said the commission is determined to reduce accident to zero across the country, adding that 10 permanent offices would be completed by the commission before the end of next year.
Oyeyemi said the FRSC had completed its permanent offices in Osogbo, Gusau, Enugu and Abakaliki.