Kwara Approves Construction Of Diamond Split Underpass

In the bid to ease traffic congestion in the state capital, the Kwara State Executive Council has approved the construction of a three-phase diamond split underpass at the Garin Alimi roundabout in Ilorin. The council also approved the Contributory Pension Scheme for Civil Servants who joined the Civil Service from 1987 to date.

The State Executive Council Meeting, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alh Aro Yahaya, said the project is expected to be completed in 18 months. He said the first phase of the project would cost N2.9 billion, adding that it would be financed from the N10 billion the state government is sourcing from the bond market.

Yahaya hinted that the project when completed would not only ease traffic on the road but add to the aesthetic of the metropolis as it is expected to be an engineering masterpiece and architecture.

He further revealed that the council also approved the dualisation of other federal roads in the state such as Kulende-Oyun-Kwara State Polytechnic-Oke-Ose-UITH road and the Ita Alamu-Michael Imoudu-Ganmo-Afon junction road.

The commissioner explained that although the roads are federal government roads, “but in line with our policy to develop road infrastructure in the state in order to reduce the pains and stress of our people the state government resolved to embark on developing the roads, awaiting federal government reimbursement”.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Alhaji Mahmoud Ajeigbe, stated that the council had approved the Contributory Pension Scheme for Civil Servants who joined the Civil Service from 1987 to date while those employed before the date would remain under the current scheme. He explained that the approval was sequel to the realisation that the revenue base of the state could no longer sustain the old pension scheme.

The Senior Special Assistant, Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede said the council considered the Draft White Paper and Administrative Panel of Enquiry with the reports on Share/Tsaragi communal clashes last year.