The federal government says it has commenced emergency repair of bad portions, hindering vehicles’ smooth movement on the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa expressway.

Kayode Ibrahim, the controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Oyo, made this known on Tuesday in Ibadan.

According to him, Kopek Construction company, the contractor handling the project, is mobilising.

“It has moved to critical portions of the road to make it motorable before full mobilisation. Because of the heavy downpour that we experienced in recent time, a section around Ilesa has gone very critical, and a contractor had moved there,” said Mr Ibrahim. “The contractor has been working on the road since the last two weeks; all the bad sections of the road, close to Ile-Ife, are now motorable. The contractor started with the critical portions, the sections between Ile-Ife and Ilesa is currently receiving attention, and work will soon start at the less critical locations as it progresses.”

He added, “The Ibadan interchange to Asejire Bridge, which is not as critical as the other sections of the road, will soon receive attention; that is the instruction they have, and they are carrying it out.”

Giving an update on the Oyo–Ogbomoso road, the controller said the old road was receiving attention.

“Some sections of the old Oyo -Ogbomoso Road, which has almost been cut off because of the recent heavy downpour, is presently receiving serious intervention. The federal government has awarded emergency repair for the old road, particularly the road shoulders where tankers and vehicles are falling,” he added. “So, Renoid Construction Company has been instructed to attend to very critical portions.”

On the new Oyo–Ogbomoso dual carriageway, the controller said work was ongoing, adding, “major work now is on the bridges and interchange at Oyo section.”

According to him, the road contract augmentation approved was to strengthen the pavement so that the failure experienced in other roads wouldn’t occur there.

“So, the design has been strengthened to include two layers of bidders, the contractor is now putting the second layer,” he said.

Mr Ibrahim also stated that other federal road projects across the state that were currently receiving attention included Iseyin–Saki Road; Igboho–Sepeteri; Iseyin–Alaga to Okaka and Baasi; Ogbomoso to Igbeti and Oyo–Aawe–Iwo.

“But, with the scarce resources, the federal government is making efforts to address road infrastructure deficits across the country,” he added.

(NAN)