The Minister of Works, Mr. Dave Umahi, says the Federal Government will speed up the construction and rehabilitation of federal roads in Ekiti.
Umahi stated this when he led the ministry’s team, in company with the Ekiti governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, on an inspection tour of some federal roads in the state.
The minister commended Oyebanji for his commitment to infrastructure upgrades in Ekiti.
He disclosed that Oyebanji had made a case for the roads as part of the prosperity agenda of his administration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister was earlier received by Oyebanji at the Akure Airport, and they inspected the Akure-Ikere Ekiti-Ado Ekiti dualized road.
The team also inspected the Ado Ekiti-Ijan Ekiti road, which was recently awarded, as well as the Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) Industrial Park Road, a model of concrete road construction.
Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti shortly after the inspections, Umahi said the purpose of the visit was to assess the level of work done on some of the on-going road projects.
He acknowledged that the roads were major corridors to other parts of the country and assured that his ministry would ensure the timely completion of the projects for the benefit of citizens and the economic development of the state.
On his assessment of the work done on the roads, the minister said he was not satisfied with the level of work done on the Akure-Ikere-Ado road, revealing that the contractor had been invited for further instruction.
He assured the people of the state that the federal government remained committed to improving the road infrastructure across the country and would continue to intensify efforts to ensure the projects were completed within the stipulated timeline.
“We came to look at some of the ongoing projects in Ekiti. These roads are major corridors to evacuate a lot of commercial produce from Benin to Lokoja and the southern part of the country.
“We have looked at the roads, and we are coming back. My team will give it all the desired attention; that’s what the governor and Chief Afe Babalola want, the minister stated.
Oyebanji, who appreciated the minister for his visit, said the inspection was a testament to the fact that the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government remained committed to development at the sub-national level.
The governor underscored the significance of accessible and well-maintained roads in facilitating transportation, commerce, and the overall socio-economic progress of the state.
He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for its continued support in addressing the infrastructure challenges confronting the state.
Oyebanji assured that his administration would continue to collaborate with the federal government to ensure that federal roads were brought to a satisfactory standard that would enhance the quality of life for citizens.
“Well, this speaks to the alignment of vision between the state and the federal government; like the minister said, it is one government, and we believe in the development of our people.
“This visit is in response to the request from Ekiti people to come and look at the state of things here, and it is so exciting, and I must commend the minister for this swift response.
“This shows the level of commitment of the President’s administration to the development of sub-nationals,” the governor said.
NAN reports that the minister’s visit was a sequel to the two working visits by the governor to the ministry of works in Abuja on account of federal roads in the state.(NAN)
