What Gov AbdulRazaq Plans For Kwara Before He Leaves Office

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state still has more than three years to complete his second term. But he already planned for some projects that must be completed before he leaves office.

Among them are another flyover at the popular Unity road in Ilorin, reconstruction of Kwara Hotels to Five Star hotel and construction of 294 km roads across Kwara North and South of which an initial N40b has been paid to contractors among others.

The projects were announced as decisions taken at the state executive council meeting at a joint press conference in Ilorin by the commissioners for Information and Communications, Mrs Bola Olukoju, Health, Dr Amina El Imam, Business Innovation, Technology, Mrs Damilola Yusuf Adelodun and Supervising Commissioner for Works, Abdulquwwiy Olododo. Also approved is the conversion of the popular General hospital in Ilorin to a Teaching Hospital for Kwara State University to support the training of medical students and related professionals.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam also told journalists that the council observed that recent facility upgrades under the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration had earlier qualified General Hospital Ilorin as a Postgraduate training health institution and went ahead to approve additional N906.7m seed fund to push through the historic transition.

According to El-Imam, “the proposed seed fund will meet cost of infrastructural face lift and construction of new ones, equipment upgrades, administrative changes and address manpower needs to support training of medical students, which is complementary to the ongoing postgraduate training and this will be of immense benefits to the people of Kwara State and the nation at large.”

On her part, Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Bola Olukoju said that the government also approved the award of redesigning and wholesale rebuilding of the iconic Kwara Hotel to a Five-Star hospitality facility at the sum of N17b.8bn for a duration of 24 months. She explained that the project would be done through contract financing model to ensure prompt delivery, while the construction and furnishing will be the most comprehensive since the legacy was constructed by the Brigadier-General David Bamigboye regime in 1975, clearly giving it an edge over any other facility in the entire North Central.

The commissioner further told reporters that work on unity road will begin from next week and the the contractor will complete work on one lane before working on the other to reduce traffic gridlock. She added that traffic management officers will be deployed to divert traffic through Obbo Road, Coca Cola Road, and Police Road. She said further information on traffic management will be communicated to the public as preparation gets underway, assuring the people of adequate care while the work lasts.

“We are not demolishing any private property and business premises not sited on government setbacks will not be eaten into in any way,” she assured adding that the government has secured multibillion naira road projects that connect different parts of the state, especially Kwara North and South.

She said “the governor informed the cabinet that work is to begin shortly on some major roads in Kwara North and Kwara South as contractors have been mobilised to site with at least N40bn. This is what the governor has attracted as our major gain from some recent policy initiatives of the Federal Government”.

She listed the major roads as Kosubosu-Kaiama-Bode Sa’adu (130km); Lafiagi-Shonga-Bacita (83km); Okuta-Gwanara-Bukoro (32km); and Offa-Ojoku-Afin-Eiyenkorin (49km) which will terminate at Odo-Otin Local Government in Osun State. The commissioner also said that some of the roads and river crossings captured under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project will soon begin, which include Afon-Sapati Oko-Igbotele; Mondala-Yowere-Agbonna; Kpandarako-Ginda-Kusomunu-Kachitako-Tsakpata Lealea-Gulufu-Bacita; Lafiagi-Effagi-Pututa; Ajase Ipo-Igbonla-Agbamu-Osun boundary; Ojoku-Illa market; Ijagbo-Aperun-Adeleke-Igbawere; Igbaja-Ofarese-Wale-Agbeku; Gerewu-Eiyenkorin-Okolowo-Express-Peeke-Dongari-Ogundele; Kaiama-Kemanji; and Oro-Sanmora, among others.

Meanwhile the commissioner, also gave updates on some ongoing construction works, saying the General Tunde Idiagbon Flyover at Tanke, along University of Ilorin road will be completed in the first quarter of 2024.

She said that the government has also continued massive rehabilitation works on at least 70 roads within and outside the capital city in the first phase. The roads include Sawmill Garage; Olorunshogo; Adabata; Emir’s Road; Taiwo-Surulere; Sefura Junction; Airport Sawmil-Taiwo; Ita Merin-Offa Grammar School road; Offa General Hospital; and Irra Road, among several others.

The commissioner also told reporters that the ministry has established a desk office contact for residents of the state to seek clarifications or report any issue to the government on ongoing projects. The contact telephone lines are 08106844487; 08132119543.