By Precious Owolabi, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government said it has concluded arrangements to award contracts for the construction of no fewer than 15 rural roads across the state through the State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) as part of strategies aimed at ensuring food security.
The Project Coordinator of Ekiti State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Mr. Sunday Adunmo, disclosed this in Ado-Ekiti while fielding questions on a radio programme.
The project coordinator, who said plans are already in top gear for the award of the roads, said the project targets the completion of 14 of the 18 existing road contracts by February next year.
Adunmo said some of the 15 roads to be awarded included “Ikere-Ijare road, Alajo-Itawure road, Odo Ayedun-Ipao road, Omu-Itapaji road, Ogotun-Ipole road, Ayebode-Eda Ile road, Aramoko-Ile Ona road and Isan-ipere,” among others.
He said the government of Ekiti State under Governor Biodun Oyebanji “is passionate about providing rural access for farmers as the government has increased its budgetary provision for the agriculture sector by almost 400 percent.”
The project coordinator also hinted that “construction of the roads would not only address food shortage but also help the state in curbing insecurity, particularly along the border communities.”
Adunmo also added that “the project is working towards upgrading five of its six demonstration earth roads, which were awarded during the administration of the former Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to asphalt-surfaced roads.”
He listed the roads to include, “Ago Aduloju-Kajola road, Imesi-Kosomolate-Ipole road, Ogotun-Alagbede road, Itaji-Orisunmibare road and Iyin-Odooro-Aroto road.”
The coordinator who lauded the State Governor for keying into the RAAMP initiative said, “Many of these roads, particularly Ogotun-Alagbede road and Ogotun-Ipole road, connect each other, and would help actualise the rural connectivity that would boost economic activities and provide shorter transport routes for farmers and traders in the state.”
While providing updates on the 18 existing roads, Adunmo said two of them have been completed, while others are at different stages of completion.
He disclosed that “asphalting would, on Thursday, commence on Ara-Ekameta road, which connects Ijero-Epe-Araromi-Iporora road, which is currently being asphalted.”
The project coordinator, while calling on Ekiti people to continue to support the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji said, “the ongoing road construction revolution in Ekiti State has confirmed that the Oyebanji-led administration is driven by vision and passion for the citizens.”
He added that, “the continuity of RAAMP by the Oyebanji-led government is a clarion call to Ekiti people that the governor should be allowed to complete two terms of 8 years so that the developmental projects embarked upon by the governor would be completed.”