By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Kwara State Executive Council has approved several road construction projects in different parts of the State, just a few days after the government rolled out 84.7km rural road projects.
At its meeting, the Council approved a contract for the construction of the Phase I of the road to the Owu Fall, the highest waterfall in West Africa measuring 120m above water level and cascading 330 feet down an escarpment, a major boost for tourism in not just the state but in Nigeria and West Africa subregion.
The contract, covering 11 kilometres in this phase, was awarded to Messrs FIK Contracting and Engineering Ltd at N3,998,838,427.50 for a completion period of 18 months.
The cabinet also approved rehabilitation works on the 20km-long Arandun Township Roundabout-Esie-Oro Township Road to Obtuse Tec Engineering and Construction Ltd at N3,821,594,765.63 for a completion period of 10 months, further opening up the Kwara hinterlands for socioeconomic growth.
The Council also approved the award of extensive works on the Ajase Ipo-Oke Iya road in Irepodun, spanning 12 kilometres, to Messrs Construction Products Nigeria Ltd at N2,256,879,187.50 for a period of eight months.
The Council had also approved construction of Osin-Laduba Road, which connects Ilorin West to Asa local government area in the central senatorial district.
The cabinet also approved the construction of Oke Ogun community-Awolowo road in Ilorin South local government area to further ease travel time within the capital city.
The Council also approved the construction of Aboto Oja-Alata Road in Asa, rehabilitation of Omu-Aran Oko Road in Irepodun, and completion of the Idera-Alabe section of the long-spanning Ile District road that had begun from Owode Ofaro, opening up the areas for improved commercial activities and boosting security in the Ifelodun axis of the state.
Chaired by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Council approved the projects following presentations by the Commissioner for Works and Transport Engr. AbdulQuawiy Olododo who also laid bare the procurement process that the Ministry had adhered to.
Rehabilitation works are meanwhile underway on the Ahmadu Bello Way, which connects the entire city centre to different government ministries, major economic facilities, state police command, state headquarters of the department of state security, Government House, and many other important institutions in the state.
Olododo told the Council that timely rehabilitation of the road is important to catch up with its approaching good-by date as alligator cracks and minor potholes are beginning to emerge in parts of the artery road.
The Council also authorised some rehabilitation and upgrade works on the Ilorin International Conference Centre (IICC) Roundabout-Sulu Gambari-Post Office Road, revving up the urban renewal efforts of the administration.
The Council had earlier awarded consultancy work for feasibility studies and development of technical blueprint for the implementation of the 18,000 hectare-Ilorin Smart City to Messrs Arctual Concepts Limited at the cost of N1.4bn.
The smart city, a district modelled after some modern cities in the world, is an offshoot of the Ilorin City Master Plan which the administration designed as an upgrade to the first Ilorin Master Plan drawn up in the 1970s.
Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development Dr. Segun Ogunsola told the council that the consultancy work entails development of the Ilorin Smart City Project Information Memorandum; environmental impact assessment; conceptual architectural and urban planning drawings; detailed land use master plan; among many others.
“In view of the size of the proposed new district, the quantum of resources that would be required and the high-level technicalities that the idea entails, it is necessary to appoint a consultant to midwife the idea and provide professional advisory services and consultancy for smooth, cost effective and seamless implementation of the project,” he said.
Dr. Ogunsola said the Ilorin Smart City will be situated north of the University of Ilorin and south of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, providing a new frontier for sustainable expansion of the capital city and taking away excessive pressure from the capital town.
“It shall have all the facilities and social amenities required to make a modern city function, including educational facilities, healthcare services centres, commercial services facilities, potable water, power supply infrastructure and good road network,” he said.
“Ample provisions would be made for the construction of different scales of housing development, golf course, polo club, and other recreational as well as sporting facilities.”