The Federal Government has completed the rehabilitation of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa road, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said at the weekend.
Mohammed spoke during an inspection of the road, which boarders Kwara and Niger states, as part of his ministry’s nationwide inspection of infrastructural facilities.
The minister said the Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa road which was awarded at a contract sum of N14.579bn is part of the Lagos-Algiers road called Trans Sahara road network.
“This road was awarded in 2013 but work was supposed to have commenced in 2014. By the time this administration came in, it was only 15.9 per cent completed, today the road is 100 per cent completed” he said.
He also said this axis is a strategic one because it is the link between the South West and North West, “so it is now easy to transport goods and services, trucks carrying petroleum products and agricultural products amongst others ply this route too.”
He said the government is convinced that when it provides the critical infrastructure, the country will be on the path of greatness.
Speaking earlier, the Baale of Bode-Sadu, a community along the road, Bolakale Yusuf said the road is the economic life wire of the north and south, adding that fixing the road has eased movement for both commuters and the villagers in the communities around.
He said that the deplorable state of the road had forced a lot of residents to relocate to other places and also markets to shut down.
The federal controller of works, Kwara State Atitebi Wasiu Kunle said the 93.6km road which was abandoned for about 10 years due to its deplorable condition, now records daily traffic of about 7,500 vehicles, including trucks.
He added that now, the quality of the road is international standard with a lifespan of 20 years.
Also the Resident engineer in Niger state, Mr Samuel Sumango who represented the Federal Controller of Works in the state, said 38 failed portions of the road including the construction of double cell culverts through the Ecological Fund, have been rehabilitated.
Sumango said the Tatabu Bridge, which failed and cut off the South West and the Northern parts of the country on that axis, was rebuilt within a year.
