Ekiti to award 184km road contracts

The Coordinator of Ekiti State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, Sunday Adunmo, has promised that more rural roads would be constructed in the state before the end of the year.

During a courtesy visit to his office in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, Adunmo, met with members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Food Security, where he made the announcement about the upcoming rural road construction projects.

Adunmo emphasized that well-maintained rural roads are crucial for boosting food production, preventing hunger, and alleviating poverty.

He disclosed that “Ijero-Epe-Araromi-Iropora Road and Ikole-Ikoyi-Igbemo Road, totalling 32km, will be awarded for construction in a couple of weeks.

“Another 152km backlog maintenance/rehabilitation of rural roads is in the pipeline.”

Adunmo also disclosed that the engineering design for 450km of spot improvement was being done in preparation for the contract award.

He hoped that the seven contractors who got the N17bn contracts for the construction of 13 rural roads would deliver quality jobs within the stipulated 18-month delivery time.

The project coordinator said, “The contractors were aware RAAMP will not tolerate substandard work and will terminate contracts not meeting performance standards.

“The Projects Monitoring Committee of RAAMP, and relevant government agencies would visit your site to check your level of compliance with the agreement you signed.”

Abiodun Fawekun, the Chairman of the Assembly committee, said the visit was in line with the oversight function and assured that the assembly would provide necessary legislative support to fast-track the actualisation of the objectives of the RAAMP.

Fawekun, acknowledging the five-year wait by the people of Ekiti for the project’s kickoff, expressed optimism that the state is on the cusp of a significant agricultural revolution, contingent upon the successful construction of all the earmarked rural roads.

The lawmaker applauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for providing counterpart funds for the project, adding, “The governor’s gesture is a demonstration of the commitment of his administration to its Agricultural and Rural Development agenda.”