Ekiti begins rehabilitation of deplorable roads   …Revives moribund Public Works Department  

The Ekiti State government has commenced the rehabilitation of deplorable roads in Ado Ekiti, the state capital , a step which is in line with the ‘operation no-potholes’ of the Kayode Fayemi-led administration in the State.

Speaking with journalists during an inspection tour of the roads, the Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Works, Mr. Bamidele Agbede said the rehabilitation work is sequel to the directive of the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi that all roads in a state of disrepair be rehabilitated.

Agbede assured that all rehabilitation works will be completed within three weeks so that commuters can have a new lease of life plying the roads.

He listed the roads under rehabilitation to include Ekiti parapo pavilion-NTA- Baptist High School road, Baptist – Ijigbo road, Ijigbo- Ikere road, Ikere -Oja Oba road and  Oja Oba – Adebayo- Adehun road.

Others are Ajibade lane-Oke Ila-Housing road, Olora-Adebayo road,Okeyinmi-Stadium road, Nova-Basiri road, and  Delight- Mobil road.

“We are on NTA road now. Most of the roads in Ado Ekiti are not motorable as at present, particularly all the roads in the interior.

The governor has approved that we have to put these roads on track. We are fixing them now. When they finish this road, we intend to move to some other areas to ensure that the roads in the streets of Ado Ekiti are motorable. Once the whole areas to be rehabilitated are identified, cut, evacuated, and filled up with stone base or laterite, then we intend to purchase our asphalt at once so that we can attend to all the roads simultaneously. If we purchase asphalt piecemeal, it will cost much. Within the next three weeks, the rehabilitation will be over”, he said.

While speaking on the rehabilitation of deplorable intra-township roads in other local government areas, the Permanent Secretary disclosed that Governor Fayemi had directed that the Public Works Department be revived to undertake the job.

Agbede added that construction equipment and machines purchased during the governor’s first tenure but which were abandoned will now be put to use, even as efforts are in top gear for the installation of its asphalt plants and other facilities.

“I have also been directed by the governor that the Public Works Department be put to use. Any moment soon, the PWD will be operational. Most of the equipment and machines that were purchased during the first term of Dr Fayemi but which were not put to use, we will make use of them. We are installing asphalt plants and other facilities. Once we finish these, we can now begin to fix internal roads in other local governments”, the Permanent Secretary said.