Date: 2016-11-03

Kwara State House of Assembly on Wednesday directed its Committee on Energy, Works and Transport to work with the Federal Controller of Works on immediate reconstruction of collapsed Moro Bridge and Kwara-Republic of Benin road, to ease business along the international route.

The State House of Assembly took the decision under the Legislative Matter of Urgent Public Importance following the inclusion of such in the 2016 budget of the Federal Government, saying reconstruction of collapsed Moro bridge road sparing Ilorin-Igbeti-Kosubosu-Republic of Benin end would improve international trade along the axis.

According to the House, it was imperative for the House Committee on Energy, Works and Transport to meet with the Federal Controller of Works in the state, in view of the hardship confronting motorists along the international route. The House Committee, according to the deputy speaker, will equally discuss palliative measures that can be done by the Federal Ministry of Works on the collapsed bridge, pending when the Federal Government would award the contract.

The House equally urged the state government to direct relevant agency to be proactive in addressing the issue of the collapsed bridge in view of the adverse impacts of the bridge on the socio-economic activities of the people along the international route.

Abdulrasheed Taiwo, who raised the motion, said the collapsed bridge constructed in the 70s temporarily by the military had become a death trap, thereby compounding the hardship being faced by the people of Asa, Kaiama, Baruten, the neighbouring Oyo State and Benin Republic plying the international highway.

He, however, appealed to the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, commence work on the reconstruction of the bridge as contained in the 2016 budget, just as other members narrated the ordeal of the people plying the route and appealed to both the federal and state governments to put in place effective measure to alleviate the suffering confronting the people plying the route.

While giving the directive to the Federal Ministry of Works on the reconstruction of collapsed bridge and road, Matthew Okedare, deputy speaker, who presided over the plenary, highlighted efforts that could be deployed by both the federal and state governments to quickly fix the decayed roads.