•Says project will be a beauty to behold

Kwara State Government has said high quality is the number one consideration as it ramps up work on the Tanke Flyover in Ilorin.

Taking reporters on a tour of the iconic project in Ilorin, the state capital, Commissioner for Works Hon. Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu said "all things being equal" the Tunde Idiagbon Flyover will be delivered by the end of March this year.

He said the government was unable to complete the project last January as promised because it was the festive period, when people had to travel, adding that the contractor also sought more time to be able to deliver a quality job.

"We want a good job to be done. We are pushing the contractor, but he is also pleading for more time to be able to deliver a good job.... We keep watching and I am here everyday with the consultant to ensure they do a quality job. By the end of March, we hope to complete it," he said.

"If you come around, maybe in another three to four days, you will see the pace at which the work has been moving. If you were here a week ago, a lot of what you are seeing now had not come up. We are looking at six to seven weeks (in March) to complete the project and open the sides to traffic."

The Commissioner said a part of the bridge will be opened for vehicular use very soon, explaining that his Ministry and the consultant in charge are on top of the game to make sure this is achieved for temporary use.

He put the level of work so far done at 82 percent, with an assurance to hand over to Kwarans a project that will stand the test of time and be a pride of the people.

"I can give the level of work done so far on the bridge as 82 percent. What we are hoping to do is that by the end of next week, we can drive a crane to the top of the bridge, where we are standing here. If you look at the other side, the earthwork is between the height of 4.8 meters. In fact, the earthwork we are doing is about 7.6 meters, we still have asphalt coming on top of it.

"We would have opened the side road; one side is actually ready. But we leave it closed because we still have some concrete work to do. On the other side, why we have not opened it is because of the work which is extended to the road. But all things being equal all this will be completed by the end of next week. We can actually open one side and use the other side for work completely, not about opening for a few hours. We will open it completely for traffic to continue to flow."

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye, while corroborating Iliasu's submission, described the progress of work on the bridge as impressive.

"I am impressed. Contrary to what some people may have been saying, you have come here and you have seen the quality of what is ongoing. I am also aware that the consultant in charge of this project is one of the best in the country, so we are confident that what we are putting in place is one of the best in this country," he said.

"People of Kwara state have seen what His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is using their funds to do. It is a legacy project that looks beautiful and is located in a strategic place. And I am sure when people visit Kwara, they will be looking forward to climbing this bridge, which will be one of the most beautiful in its aesthetic.

Mashood, Abdulrafiu Agboola
Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Government House.
February 19, 2023.