Date: 2018-05-05

The Kwara State Government says it is not indebted to any contractor handling its road projects in the state under the KWARA Infrastructure Development Fund (IFK)

The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Works and Transport , Alhaji YUSUF Garba Manjo dropped this hint in his office while answering questions from newsmen.

He explained that the government has adopted a system of pay as you go as contractors are paid for all jobs done immediately the government evaluates their work and satisfied with their certificates.

According to him , all the contractors are paid on quarterly basis in accordance with the IFK payment schedule stressing that just last week, they were paid for all jobs already completed.

He denied claims in some quarters that the state government is not patronizing local contractors and mentioned some few contractors that have benefitted from the government jobs such as Bito Engineering , Sky construction Limited , Tungar-Kasuwa , Morghan , LOAT construction, and Air Bag adding that they are currently handing various projects across the state.

According to him , not all contractors working for the state are under the IFK arrangement but confirmed that they are regularly mobilized and paid accordingly and mentioned some new road projects under construction as places like Samsudeen /Kankatu Road and Gaa Akanbi /Erinile Road .

The Permanent Secretary disclosed that Offa/Ira Road, Arandun/Rore/Ipetu/Aran-Orin , Offa township road , Anilelerin/ Ita Agun road have been completed while Oke Onigbin township road is about to be completed and work along Michael Imuodu to Ganmo junction would soon continue as the issue of the electric pole that has delayed the project has been resolved and has been relocated .

He commended the management and staff KWARTMA for ensuring the mending of roads in the state particularly filling of potholes which he said would be a continuous exercise.

Alhaji Garba Manjo urged all the contractors to work in line with contractual agreement and specification and design to justify government huge investment and said for now, no contractor working for the state government has been blacklisted .

He disclosed that the state government also assisted the Ilorin International Airport and the Aviation development in the country in the construction of the building of the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to assist the agency to facilitate its activities and other operational efficiency of the agency in the state because the staff do not have an office building while the project is now ready for commissioning.

The permanent secretary disclosed that the ministry handles management of the transport sector in the state and the officials of the ministry have been meeting regularly with the transporters including their various unions particularly on the reported cases of kidnapping and theft in commercial vehicles , Okada and Kekenapep and said they have pledged their commitment to improve the safety of their passengers.