The Federal Government of Nigeria has affirmed that the gap in the nation’s infrastructural needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction of major highways and other roads across the country.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Raji Fashola, disclosed this while handing over the newly-rehabilitated 1.2-kilometer road constructed within the premises of Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Oyo State, to the institution’s management.
The Minister, who was represented by the Federal Controller of Works in Oyo State, Mr Kayode Ibrahim, said the efforts of the Federal Government in road infrastructure development had now reached schools, noting that 76 federal tertiary institutions have benefitted from the Federal Government’s intervention in internal road network projects.
He stated: “Government has successfully intervened in internal road networks of 46 institutions, with 29 handed over as at 2021. We now have another 17 ready to be handed over, while we are currently attending to internal road networks in 30 other institutions across the country, making a total of 76.”
Fashola noted that although lots of works still needs to be done in many sectors of the nation’s economy, including education, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had stepped up to lead the process of getting the work done.
He revealed that the initiative of tertiary institutions’ internal road projects was consistent with government’s progressive ideal of improving the human condition, urging students to acknowledge the significance of the projects through renewed enthusiasm, especially with regards to attending classes.
The Minister highlighted the scope of work done on the Federal College of Agriculture’s internal road network project as: flood control, stone pitching and lane marking, among others.
Further road infrastructural projects
In his remarks, the Federal Controller of Works in Oyo State, Mr Kayode Ibrahim, noted that Oyo State was receiving good attention from the federal government, as it was well captured in the road infrastructure development of the present administration.
Ibrahim listed some of the federal road projects currently receiving attention across the state to include: Iseyin – Saki; Igboho – Sepeteri; Iseyin – Alaga – Okaka – Baasi; Ogbomoso – Igbeti; Oyo – Aawe – Iwo; Igboho – Igbeti, Ibadan – Ile-Ife – Ilesha and Oyo – Ogbomoso.
He said government was making efforts to address the road infrastructure deficit across the country despite the scarce resources.
Earlier, the Provost of the College, Dr Elizabeth Augustus, appreciated the federal government for the project, saying that the rehabilitated road had indeed improved accessibility and ease of movement within the institution.
Augustus revealed that the road, now named “Centenary Road”, had further added to the aesthetics of the college premises, especially as it coincided with the centenary anniversary celebrations of the institution.
Dr Titus Ilori and Mr Faruk Adedoyin, who both spoke on behalf of the college staffers and students, commended the federal government for counting the school worthy of benefiting from the road projects for tertiary institutions in the country.
The duo, however, pleaded with government to do more in the area of infrastructural development in order to further enhance teaching and learning in the institution.
Emmanuel Ukoh
