Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo has reiterated his administration’s commitment towards ensuring that infrastructure deficit gap is reduced in the state.

This is just as the governor assured that the ongoing construction at ShopRite/Oda Road in Akure South Local Government Area, would soon be completed and inaugurated.

The Special Adviser (Infrastructure, Lands and Housing), Joseph Ayo Babalola, who disclosed this while on inspection of the road project, said more roads would be upgraded, and rehabilitated by the state government.

According to him, the rise in cost of construction materials contributed to the slow pace of the jobs because the difference has to be accommodated.

He explained that the governor is working hard to ensure that the infrastructure deficit gap is reduced, saying the governor has approved road projects for the three senatorial districts in the state.

He said this is to ensure that all communities across the state would have a feel of the state government in terms of infrastructural development.

He said: “If you look at the infrastructure deficit, it’s so huge, but Mr. Governor is making effort to ensure that every part of the state is being visited in terms of road infrastructure.

“We look at infrastructure deficit, it is highly enormous. By the grace of God, Mr. Governor has been trying to fill that gap.

“Oda Road is part of the projects inherited by the administration, though Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was part of the previous administration led by the late Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

“The road begins from ShopRite as a dual carriage, which is 4km. The remaining part that gets to Oda is single carriage, but the width is 12.3 metres. The length is 3.8km. So, the road is a total of 7.8km.

“On the single carriage, we have covered almost 1km now. As we discussed, the contractor will double the effort. He will stone base another 2 km and lay asphalt so that within the next eight weeks, we will have got through with Oda project.

“We are actually targeting the Oda project for the Governor to commission. Our people are actually monitoring the project and implore them to bear with us, the project will be completed soon.

“When we awarded the contract, the tonnage of reinforcement was N420,000, but now it’s about N1.4m.

But contractor didn’t leave the site, he has been working and we have quickly connected some things observed. The challenges are not different from what other contractors are facing at other sites.”

Speaking on the quality of job done at the site, Engr. Funmilayo Oluwatayo. Director, Civil Engineering, Ministry of Works, explained that there was no way the contractor could have cut corners.

He said resident engineers and other quality control officers from the ministry are always on ground to monitor the project.

“Since the contractors began work, they have been working according to specifications and design of the road

“Besides, we have our quality control men on ground there monitoring the quality of jobs done there. We also have our engineers, the resident engineers are permanently there, supervising the work accordingly.

“We are all aware of the changes in prices of construction materials, but the contractors can’t cut corners because we already have our specifications, including specification of the asphalt they are laying given to them at the asphalt plant by the Quality Control Department of this ministry.

“So, they produce according to the design given to them. We have standard of job to be done at the site. So, the increase in prices of materials does not affect the quality of job done at the site.”

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