Date Published: 10/21/09

Oni tasks FG on Ekiti Federal Roads

Ekiti State Governor, Engr Segun Oni has urged the Federal Ministry of Works to rehabilitate some key federal roads in the state so that his administration’s Road Revolution Programme would have the desired multiplier effect on the economy of the state.

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre said in a statement made available to journalists that Governor Oni, while playing host to members of the House of Representatives Committee on Works and Infrastructure in Ado-Ekiti, described the condition of federal roads in the state was worrisome.

He called on the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently reconstruct the Igede – Aramoko-Ilesa, the Ikere-Akure roads as well as the Lokoja-Obajana- Kabba-Omuo road adding that efforts by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to maintain the roads were grossly inadequate.   

According to the governor, the poor state of the federal roads was hampering vehicular movement along the ever-busy Abuja - Lagos road thus making the movement of people, goods, services and farm produce difficult.

He said the state government was presently working on 800 kilometres of state roads many of which according to him were nearing completion.

Oni pointed out that Ekiti State would surpass the National and West African road density average before the end of the year when most of the ongoing road projects would have been completed.

He  disclosed that the State Government  would  soon  introduce toll  fees on  heavy duty vehicles plying state-owned roads  in Ekiti  so that  government  would  be able  to sustain its heavy  investment on road construction.

Oni pointed out that Ekiti State would surpass the National and West African road.

The governor who expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for approving the construction of the Ifaki – Ikole – Omuo and the Efon – Erimo road projects however appealed to the federal Government to reimburse the state Government with N2billion it expended on the Ado-Ifaki road project.

Responding, the spokesman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Hon. Chris Berewari commended the Oni-Administration for   its giant strides in the area of road construction adding from that his observations the quality of state roads in the state was far better than that of Federal Roads in the State.

He noted that the Federal Government was committing a lot of resources to put in place a good road network in the country because roads form an important factor in the realisation of the 7 point agenda of the Federal Government.