Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has said that he would continue to pay unscheduled visits to all on-going road projects across the State so as to keep the contractors handling them on their feet and ensure prompt delivery of the projects.
The Governor stated this determination on Wednesday during an inspection tour of on-going dredging and channelization of River Ofin along Adehun-University road in Ado Ekiti; saying that his regular visits to the various sites of on-going projects across the State has paid off with many of the projects either completed or nearly completion.
Dr. Fayemi who had last week given Hajaig Construction company an order to complete a lane of the on-going Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki road dualization expressed satisfaction that the adherence of the contractor to the instruction has seen to the completion of the Teaching Hospital, Adebayo and Ori Apata stretch of the road which have caused heavy traffic congestion in the last few weeks.
He added that if government had paid close attention to the contractor since the road was awarded in 2007, it would have been completed sooner than expected.
“if the contractor had put in a similar effort months back, people would not be complaining. Yes, a little inconvenience has been caused by the intensity of the work in town because Iasked them to move to town and do the work there before returning to the Iworoko axis of the work and that is what they have done. People have been commending the work of Hajaig and I believe that is also true of others at the various places where work is going on now”, he said.
The Governor explained that the emergency award of the dredging and channelisation of River Ofin was not only to avert loss of lives and property that may be incurred through flooding but also to allow for free flow of water, preventing it from affecting the quality of work done on the road.
Fayemi who said that each side of the river would be dredged up to 300 metres off the road to clear for free flow of water noted that if the water is not properly channelised, it would eat up the asphalt overlay on the road and make the road impassable.
While speaking on the on-going desilting of blocked drains, the Governor warned against indiscrimate dumping of refuse in the drains; saying that the law is clear and whoever violates the law will face the consequences.
He expressed satisfaction at the pace of work on the channelisation project and opined that if work continues at the pace, soon the concrete work would start and eventually speed up the channelisation project.
One of the residents along the river being channelised who was an aide of the former Governor Segun Oni, Professor Olu Makinde,expressed joy at the swift response of Governor Fayemi to the waterway; saying that the Governor’s action in less than 48 hours of notice proved that he runs a responsible and responsive government.
Last modified: July 25, 2012
