Date: 2020-07-02

The Commissioner for Environment Arc. Aliyu Muhammad Saifuddeen has today visited the project site of the ongoing dredging and desilting of Asa River at Unity area, to assess the quality and the extent of the execution of the project so far.

During the visit, the commissioner express his satisfaction with the quality as well as the pace of the project execution by the contractor. Saifuddeen used the opportunity to commend the Governor; His Excellecy Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for given the project the needed attention by expressly approving the contract. He said: "the prompt attention given to project by His Excellency was a clear demonstration of his compassion and safety of the masses of the state."

"More so, that the timely approval and execution of the project has no doubt saved the lives and properties of many residents, particularly along the Asa River, because there was every tendency that what happened at Oko-erin Bridge, would have also happened along the Asa River, had the dredging and desilting of the river was not done at that material time," Saifuddeen added.

The project which commenced in the middle of April this year spanned from behind UBA at Unity, all through to Haramony Bridge along Kulende- Akerebiata road, with some portion being desilted for the second time within a year.

Earlier, the Commissioner also visited for the second time, the collapsed Oko-erin Bridge to monitor the level threat posed by the previous damage, as the repair of the bridge is billed to commence soon.

Other places visited by the Commissioner included; the Sawmill Bridge along College of Education Road Ilorin and Surulere Bridge beside Ojatuntun which are also flash floods during heavy rain.

Mohammed Salihu

Deputy Press Secretary

Kwara State Ministry of Environment