Respite may soon come the way of some residents of Ilorin, Kwara State and its environs affected by the frequent flooding of Asa River if assurance by the Federal Government is anything to go by.

Minister of National Planning and Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, disclosed that the dredging and channelisation of the river would be completed in May this year.

He gave the assurance when he inspected the project as well as the Malete dam project in Moro Local Government Area of the state.

Daily Trust reports that the dredging of the river was conceived as a permanent solution to the recurring flood being experienced by residents of Ilorin who have lost fortunes in the flood occasioned by the overflow of the river.

However, Minister of National Planning who is an indigene of the state and a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in the state cleared the air on the project, saying it had not been abandoned contrary to the belief in some quarters.

He spoke alongside the project contractor, Engr. Akeem who disclosed that the contract was awarded in February 2013 but was slowed down by rain.

He however assured that the contractor will take advantage of the dry season to make up for the time lost during the rainy season to complete it by May this year.

On the Malete dam project, the minister dismissed claim by members of the National Assembly from the state that they funded the project, saying, it is a wholly Federal Government project.

It would be recalled that members of the National Assembly including Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central), Senator Shaaba Lafiagi and the six House of Representatives members said the project was jointly funded by them. They noted that only Senator Simeon Ajibola who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate did not contribute to the project.

However, Minister of National Planning disclosed that the dam project which is expected to serve students of Kwara State University and the Malete community was being undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources through the Lower Niger River Basin authority.