‘Every geopolitical zone benefiting from road projects’

EVERY geopolitical zone is benefiting from road projects across the country, the Director, Highways, Southwest, Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Funsho Adebiyi, has said.

Addressing reporters at the weekend in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, after an inspection of federal roads across the Southwest, Adebiyi refuted insinuations that the Presidency was paying more attention to roads in the North.

He said: “The government spreads out road projects in such a way that no zone has been left out. Sukuk bond and other funds made available for road projects were shared equally among the six geopolitical zones.

”But differences in topography, soil condition and other things in the North and South make it look as if the government is constructing more roads in the North. For instance, funds that can be spent on 100- kilometre road in places like Borno or Katsina may not complete 10 or 15- kilometre road in Bayelsa State.”

The director said every state in the Southwest had the presence of the Federal Government as regards road rehabilitation and construction.

“In fact, the country has never had it so good in road infrastructure.

“Among the ongoing road projects are Lagos-Ibadan sections I and II, handled by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC). The new Oyo-Ogbomosho road dualisation is being constructed by RCC, Ogbomosho-Oko-Osogbo road is being handled by Dutum Construction Company.

“We have the Ila Orangun-Ora-Ilale-Ekan Meje road; Efon Alaaye-Erinmo-Iwaraja road; Ibadan-Abeokuta road, built by Kopek Construction Company. Shagamu-Ore road is being constructed by RCC,” he said.

Adebiyi said the works done so far on the roads inspected were of high quality, capable of standing the test of time.

On the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, he said the government had set aside a dedicated fund that would finish the road, assuring motorists that the ongoing construction work would no longer suffer delay.

The director attributed the past delay to inadequate funding of the project by the previous administration.

He said the government needed to take extra measures to ensure quality service delivery on the road.

Adebiyi implored road users to obey traffic laws and regulations, saying overloading and other traffic offences reduced the lifespan of roads.

He warned residents of communities along roads to desist from drying farm produce on such roads.

Adebiyi reiterated the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration towards construction of roads, rehabilitation of roads and completion of abandoned road projects awarded by the previous administration.