Fayemi: Turning Ekiti into huge construction site

When Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, promised to turn the state into a huge construction site this year, not a few would have imagined what the governor meant.

But seven months into the year the reality of the statement is beginning to dawn on many with the ongoing construction works in different parts of the state, particularly, Ado-Ekiti.

To actualize his promise to the people, the governor rolled out 13 road projects for reconstruction across the state last year. These include the 9km Omisanjana-132Kva-Deeper Life Church road; Fajuyi-Trade Fair road; 1.8km Ijigbo-Isato-Ile Abiye road and several others. 

Apart from these roads some of which are at different stages of completion, two other roads awarded by the Fayemi administration shortly after assuming power and are nearing completion are the Ado-Ilawe road; Ado-Afao road.  

Apart from the roads awarded by the governor there are other road projects inherited by him. They are Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki dual carriage road; Ewu bridge; Oye-Ire; Aramoko-Ijero-Ido; etc. 

Quality assurance 

Apart from his own initiated programmes, the governor has also completed some of the road projects he inherited from the immediate past administration in fulfilment of his pledge not to abandon any inherited projects. One thing that stands out in the execution of these roads is the desire of the governor for quality to ensure that the state government gets value for its money. 

Commenting on the ongoing road projects in addition to the various transformational programmes of the government, the state chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Prince Tunji Ogunlola, said the state has never witnessed the transformation that is going on, pointing out that the governor has lived up to the expectation of the people.

He said if the past administration had laid a quality foundation for the state, the Fayemi administration would not be saddled with the challenges it faced in putting in place quality foundation.

The CNPP chief challenged critics of the state government to come to the state and see for themselves while appealing to motorists facing traffic problem on the Ado-Ekiti major roads to exercise patience with the government over the massive road construction going on.

Speaking in the same vein, the Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Mr Sola Adebayo, said the ongoing reconstruction of roads in Ado-Ekiti metropolis was occasioned by the shoddy job done in the past. He said this situation informs the massive road works going on in all parts of the state.

He pointed out that the mission of the government in rolling out many roads for construction and reconstruction was informed by the need to turn the state into haven for investors and tourists

Meanwhile, the state government has awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of another 16 township roads in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti. The roads, when completed, would bring up the state capital in line with the vision of the governor for the city.

Beyond the road projects, in fulfilment of his promise, the governor has awarded contracts for the installation of streets light for Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Though, road users are presently facing hard times going through the road, it is expected that at the end of the day, the people will have cause to thank the governor for his vision of replacing the hitherto poor road with an asphalt overlaid and beautifully marked road. 

Speaking on the road projects, a bread seller, Mrs Bola Adeyinka said though they are facing tough times now because of the dust on the road, they are positive that after the completion of the project, “we have something to celebrate and to show the world.”

Apart from the numerous road projects in the state, the governor is about constructing an ultra modern market to replace the existing one. Prior to the construction of the market, the government has erected some lock-up shops at Agric Olope area of the state capital to accommodate market women and men that would be evacuated from the Oja Oba market.

Beyond this, is the issue of payment of compensations to those whose properties may be pulled down to give way for the start of work on the ultra modern market.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Mr Kayode Jegede, said the government is still sorting out the payment of compensation to those who will lose their structures for the new market.

Before now, the solar powered street lights had been a failure as the state capital is always in darkness at night due to the poor work done on the street light.

The take off of the project is still being delayed by the reconstruction work carried out on the major roads in Ado-Ekiti.

As the projects are gradually coming on stream and the government Project Monitoring Committee headed by Mr Ranti Adebisi doing their job, the transformation agenda of the government may not be a mirage at the end.