The Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, on Thursday said the Federal Government would complete all ongoing road projects, including the Oyo-Ogbomosho section of the Ibadan-Ilorin Expressway.

Mr. Onolememen stated this at the inauguration of the N20.1billion Ibadan-Oyo section of the four-lane expressway.

The contract for the 43.25 kilometre Ibadan-Oyo road project was first awarded on Jan. 31, 2001.

The minister said that the Federal Government was committed to putting in place a good road network to enhance the movement of people and goods.

"One of the major programmes of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan is to provide the people with a better road network across the country.

"This programme is very important to Nigeria because it has led to a reduction in traffic congestion,'' he said.

The minister, however, urged all road users to refrain from the abuse of the road by engaging in overloading, indiscriminate parking and dumping of refuse.

"The Federal Government will continue to carry out the maintenance of the road networks,'' he said.

In her address, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, said President Goodluck Jonathan had pledged to reconstruct the Olorunsogo-Ona-Ara- Akanran road.

She also said the president would flag-off the re-construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday.

Earlier, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State said that the inauguration was long awaited; noting that it was coming 12 years after construction first began.

Mr. Ajimobi, who was represented by Akin Olajide, the Secretary to the State Government, pleaded for the quick completion of the Oyo-Ogbomosho section of the road.

"We will like to bring to the notice of the minister again that the Federal Government is owing the state the sum of N18.4billion which the state government had expended on the construction of some federal roads,'' he added.

He further said that his administration had awarded 251 road contracts across the state, with some already completed and inaugurated.

Among dignitaries at the inauguration were Bashir Yuguda, the Minister of State for Works, and Kabir Abdullahi, the Federal Director of Highways in the South-West Zone.

(NAN)