The Federal Road Maintenance Agency,(FERMA) says it has commenced the rehabilitation of the bad potions of Ilorin-Omu-Aran-Egbe highways to ensure free flow of traffic during the Christmas and New Year periods.

The Coordinator of the agency in Kwara, Mr Babatunde Ige, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, on Thursday, that the exercise was disrupted during the rainy season.

According to him, the rehabilitation will reduce the rate of road crashes in the area.

Ige said the agency had mobilised its personnel and equipment to patch all the pot holes on the road, adding that the bad portions of road would be asphalt filled and surface dressed.

He said the Eruku and Omu-Aran axis of the highway required urgent attention due to the its numerous pot holes.

"The good news is that, work has started on Ilorin-Omu-Aran-Egbe highway considered as one of the busiest and inter-state link roads, to ease traffic during Christmas.

"The rehabilitation, though a continuous exercise, was a little bit delayed due to the downpour witnessed in recent times.

"As I am talking to you, our men are working round the clock to make sure that some of the bad portions are covered on time, especially before the Christmas and New Year."

Ige said that the agency was collaborating with other stakeholders, including transport unions and the FRSC, to make the operation a success.

The FERMA coordinator also said that the agency had been "well positioned" to effectively maintain all federal roads across the country.

"With the acquisition of relevant machines tailor-made for round the clock maintenance, traffic, gridlock and crashes on our major highways would be a thing of the past," he said.