The Kwara State House of Assembly speaker, Yakubu Salihu, says the construction of the 130–kilometre Bode Saadu-Kaiama-Kosubosu road will enhance business opportunities between Kwara and neighbouring states upon completion.

Mr Salihu described the N350 billion road project as a major breakthrough for the people of Kwara North, who have been yearning for a road that would link the five local government areas in the senatorial district.

The speaker, inspecting the road on Sunday with some stakeholders, also commended former President Muhammadu Buhari, President Bola Tinubu and Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for facilitating the project through tax credit.

The federal government funded the road project through BUA Group of Companies under the Tax Credit Scheme in Executive Order 7, which Mr Buhari issued while in office.

The speaker explained that before now, the tax credit was alien to Kwara, stressing that Mr Abdulrazaq lobbied the federal government to get the road awarded to BUA Group.

He said farmers from Kwara North, which is reputed as the state’s food basket, have been having difficulties transporting their farm produce to urban areas due to the poor road network.

“When completed, the road will, among other benefits, serve as a unifying factor for the five local government areas in the northern part of the state.

“These are Baruten, Edu, Moro, Kaiama, and Patigi. It will ensure the transportation of goods and services, especially agricultural farm produce, to other parts of the state and across the country as a whole.

“This will also ensure that our farm produce get to the market on time and ultimately crash soaring food prices,” the speaker said.

Former deputy speaker of the state assembly, Matthew Okedare and two members of the House, Abdullahi Danbaba (Kaiama, Kemanji, Wajibe Constituency) and Madinat AbdulRaheem (Lanwa/Ejidongari Constituency), also spoke during the tour.

They spoke on the economic benefit of the roads and applauded Messrs Tinubu and Abdulrazaq for the infrastructural development.

When completed, the road project will link Bode Saadu-Kaiama-Kosubosu, Bacita-Shonga-Lafiagi, Eiyenkorin-Afon-Offa-Odo-Otin, and Okuta-Bukuro Road, as well as the Republic of Benin. 

(NAN)