Date: 2017-09-19

Kwara State government has spent over N7 billion on several road projects across the state under the state' s Infrastructure Development Fund, (IF-K) scheme.

The state governor, Alh Abdulfatah Ahmed disclosed this yesterday at the official commissioning of Federal Road Safety Commission RS8, Kwara State Office Complex, Ilorin.

According to the governor, the I-FK's success has demonstrated the benefits of partnering with private sector to fund key infrastructure projects.

"Among road projects embarked on by this government", the governor said, "are dualization of Kulende-UITH-Oke Ose road, Geri- Alimi Split Diamond Interchange, Share-Oke-Ode Road, Egbejila-Airport Road and Megida Arobadi road."

He urged the private sector to synergise with governments under Public Private Partnership model to establish and fund infrastructure projects on a sustainable basis.

"While I remain an advocate of stronger Federal/State synergy in the funding and provision of infrastructure, it is time we leveraged more on the private sector to provide key infrastructure which as we all know is a major driver of social and economic development," he said.

According to the governor, PPP approaches ensure efficiency, guarantee funding for projects and insulate infrastructure from the challenges associated with government financing of projects.

Ahmed also disclosed that the second phase of the Light-Up Kwara project has commenced as streetlights had been installed along major streets in the state capital, promising to extend the project to other roads across the state.

Earlier in his address, Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi had said the commission is determined to reducing accident to zero across the country, saying that 10 permanent offices would be completed by the commission before the end of next year.