FG bridging road infrastructure needs in Oyo, says Fashola

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Raji Fashola, says Federal Government is immensely bridging the road infrastructure needs of Oyo State.

Fashola made this known on Tuesday in Ibadan, while handling over the rehabilitated internal roads at the National Centre for Genetic and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan, to management of the centre.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister was represented at the event by Mr Kayode Ibrahim, the Federal Controller of Works in Oyo State.

He said that the state was benefitting “heavily from all road projects since this administration came on board”.

According to him, the current administration is steadily funding its road projects across the country, Oyo State inclusive.

“A lot of roads across Oyo State has received attention, while intervention works are ongoing on other roads.

For instance, Lagos – Ibadan; Ibadan -Ife – Ilesa; Ibadan – Oyo; Oyo – Ogbomoso, are among the ongoing road projects in the state.

“On Oyo – Ogbomoso Road, Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) handling the project is working everyday and hopefully, the project will be completed before the end of the year.

“Because, all obstacles that can delay the job has been removed, funds has been released and work is ongoing,” Fashola said.

He said that Iseyin – Okeho Road; Ago-Are – Sepeteri Road; Basi – Ajenrege Road; Owotoro – Ofiki Road; Otte – Ogbomoso and Idiayunre – Ogunmakin Road, among many others, have received the Federal Government intervention.

On road intervention in tertiary institutions, the minister said that quality of education would be impacted by the quality of infrastructure on ground at such institution.

He said that Federal Government had completed and handed over 64 internal roads projects in various federal tertiary institutions in the country as at January.

Fashola added that another 38 of such projects were at various stages of completion across the country.

He said the development had made students of the benefiting institutions to express renewed enthusiasm with regards to attending classes, “because some defective roads have been restored to good condition”.

Fashola admonished NACGRAB management and staff to put the rehabilitated 0.75 kilometres road into good use.

NAN also reports the Acting Director, NACGRAB, Tony Okere, in his remarks, thanked the Federal Government, the Minister of Works and Housing, the Controller of Works and the Contractor, who carried out the project within the stipulated time.

According to Okere, access road to the Animal Genetic Resources and Field has worsened over the years due to the gully erosion.

“Transporting farm equipment, livestock, their feeds, mobility of staff and important guests of the centre has been a nightmare.

“With the rehabilitation of the road, through the intervention of the Ministry of Works, this has become a thing of the past,” he said.

The director, however, urged the Federal Government to consider the centre on other deplorable roads and damaged culverts within the complex.

Speaking with NAN, a cross section of NACGRAB staff commended President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for the intervention.

Dr Shakiru Kazeem and Dr Ibidun Adetiloye, both staff of NACGRAB, said that the centre internal road was in deplorable condition before the intervention.

Kazeem said the rehabilitated road would enhance motivation of staff toward their daily jobs.

Adetiloye urged the Federal Government to keep on assisting the centre in fixing other roads still in bad shape.(NAN)