A massive road infrastructure is to begin in Ilorin, Kwara State capital next month. The project, the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Aro Yahaya, said in Ilorin yesterday will bring to a halt the perennial traffic gridlock in some parts of the city.

To this end, dualisation of Kunlede/UITH and Olunlade/Ganmo roads, both within the metropolis have been listed for execution among other projects proposed by the state government. Specifically, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed would flag off the Kulende/UITH road project early next month.

The Works and Transport commissioner addressed a ministerial press briefing alongside his counterparts in Information and Communications, Mr Mahmud Babatunde Ajeigbe; Water Resources, Mr Abdulrazaq Shehu Akorede and Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the state governor, Dr Muyideen Femi Akorede, where he announced government plan to improve on road infrastructure. Yahaya stated that the dualisation of the roads was exclusive preserve of the Federal Government but the state government took it upon itself to guarantee security of human movement on the affected roads.

He also disclosed that the government would build flyover around Geri-Alimi area to cushion the effect of congestion from Asa-Dam and Airport roads, adding that there would be a paradigm in the construction of the overhead bridge. The commissioner noted that road projects were premised on the strategic needs of the people, just as he called on Kwarans to pay taxes regularly to encourage the government to do more for them.

"We have proposed roads that we are going to execute any moment from now, the governor will do the flag off. I want to take this opportunity to say that Kwarans would be happy when these arrangements are concluded. It will definitely improve the image of the state in terms of infrastructural development, and it would ease vehicular movement and human trafficking.

"And part of the roads we have proposed to do in order to alleviate the sufferings of our people is dualisation of Kulende/UITH/Oke-Ose. We are going to dualise the place. It is not a question of sugar-coating, it is question of reality. Before the end of the month or early next month, we are going to do the flag-off of that road.

"We should not forget that the Kwara State government about two years ago, did an extension on that road from Kulende to Oyun bridge. We did that within two weeks, not because of anything, but in order to remove and address the sufferings of our people, who ply that road.

"But this time around, we are not going to do extension, we are going to do dualisation so that security of human movement would be guaranteed. "Also, we are going to embark on dualisation of Michael Imoudu to Afon Junction. These are Federal Government roads. But the government of our state knows that it is our people that ply that road more than any Nigerian.

"We are going to do flyover. But this one will be different from normal conventional flyover. That one will ease the traffic within Geri-Alimi, Asa-Dam, Olorunsogo and Airport junction. "Most of our road constructions are based on strategic needs of our people in order to ease traffic. All these problems would be resolved in the next few months.

"But most importantly, these projects require funds. I want to urge the Nigerian public, especially Kwarans to exhibit civic responsibility by paying their taxes regularly so that government will get enough funds to execute these laudable programmes", Yahaya said.

He maintained that the present administration was also unrelenting in expediting action on the completion of some roads within and outside Ilorin city. Yahaya, however posited that some road projects could not be completed as scheduled due to paucity of fund plaguing the state.

Also speaking, the state commissioner for Water Resources, Shehu Akorede, disclosed that the government had embarked on a 150 kilometre expansion on water distribution network within the Ilorin metropolis to make potable water accessible to the residents of the city. Akorede, noted that the project was about 90 percent completed with other ongoing rehabilitation in water infrastructure across the state.