Kwara: Disquiet Over Failed N3.7bn Underpass Flyover Project

The failed portion of the N3.7 billion  diamond underpass flyover project executed by the administration of the immediate past governor of Kwara State, Alh Abdulfatahi Ahmed, has elicited fierce reactions from the state government and officials of the past administration.

The diamond underpass flyover, along the Ilorin Airport road was a legacy project of the Ahmed’s administration. Though commissioned in the twilight of the tenure of the former governor in 2019, the project, no doubt adds value to the beauty of Ilorin, the state capital. It also serves the purpose of decongesting traffic in the ever busy Airport, Garin Alimi and Olorunsogo axis of Ilorin metropolis.

The project has however  becomes a subject of controversy as a portion of it caved in. While the state government attributed the failed portion of the bridge to the shoddy execution of the project, the officials of the past administration think otherwise.

The state government has indeed threatened to order the consultant and the contractor that constructed the N3.5 billion diamond underpass flyover in Ilorin to site over failed portion of the project.

Speaking with newsmen when he inspected the failed portion of the project, the state commissioner for Works, Engr.  Rotimi Ilyasu, said that the state government would also explore what it could get back from those concerned.

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“There are many projects like that. This is a job that was initially awarded at N2.5 billion and rose to N3.7 billion. The contract passed through the state executive council, it approved it and gave the contractor an approval. And those that did that did it on behalf of Kwarans”, he said.

The commissioner, who said that the state government would repair the bad road as part of its responsibility, adding that the repair would remove expected sufferings of the people plying the road.

“Government has everything to lose when we pursue legal option. People will suffer effects of bad roads. So, we look at how to mediate by calling the contractor back to site as well as the consultant on this job to ensure proper work was done. But in the interim we have to do what we are supposed to do. That’s why we brought in stone base materials. We will also do some other bad sections of the road where asphalt has cracked. Compaction was not properly done, because it was a rushed job due to intention to hurriedly commission it.

“The present administration has a lot of job to be commissioned right now. But we are not rushing. We have to give Kwarans the best. We will make sure we complete the jobs to standard before we do commissioning or else we will end up wasting fund. We’re learning from this also”, he said.

The commissioner, who said that the project was not certified by the state ministry, added that materials used to construct the road were not adequate and that the development resulted in quick failure of the road.

“I’ve looked through the files, the ministry did not certify the job as properly done. The stone base work was done on some portions of the road with grader rather than pavers because of the expected height you have to achieve; (100mm or 10 cm). What’s done here is not up to 2cm of stone basing.

“On this kind of road construction, experts use stone base as top material because that has better property to handle weight compared to clay used here. When you use clay for trunk ‘A’ road like this, you will see expansion and contraction whenever it rains and it gets hot. When people drive on it, you bounce and cracks later set in on the road as water is allowed to penetrate. Quality materials were not used here”.

The commissioner, who argued with the past administration on allegations of lack of maintenance by the present administration, described the allegation as face saving, saying that the drainage was very free and not blocked.

But the chief press secretary to former Governor Ahmed, Alh Wahab Oba faulted the government’s claim and instead blamed the failed portion of the project on lack of proper maintenance by the current administration in the state.

“Circulating a video of bad portion of diamond underpass while claiming that it was a result of shoddy job execution is not only shameless and awful but shows that the government lacks maintenance culture.

“ For the record, the Garin Alimi Diamond Split and Underpass was completed in April 2019 by Duravil construction Ltd. The Underpass has two bridges and a roundabout, with an underground stormy water drainage of 900 metres, security post, control room and CCTV monitors and cameras for security and surveillance, standby generator and dedicated transformer,solar street lights, making the project first of its kind in Nigeria ahead of underpasses in Maryland, Lagos which has one head bridge, and Kano underpass. This was once attested to by Senetor kabiru Gaya.

“The 2nd phase of the project and a maintenance contract were awarded to the same company at about 400 million and N1.5m monthly, respectively. The maintenance contract covers May 2019 to  May, 2021, for first phase. It is meant to maintain the stormy underground drainage to forestall silting or blockages and its attendant damage to the underpass road. It also includes maintenance of security equipment in the  control room, carrying out surveillance work, maintenance of street lights, transformer, lawns and fuelling of the generator,” Oba explained.

Oba claimed that the current state government stopped the maintenance contract in June, 2019 without providing any alternative for the first of its kind edifice.

“The results of this is the vandalisatation of  control room, CCTV, generator, solar street lights, and bushy roundabout lawn, blockages of stormy underground drainage and consequently, the latest spill over damages to the underpass road,” he added.

He emphasised the need for works to commence on the second phase of the project to give access to stormy underground water in the underpass to Odo-Okun stream.

Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP Sunday observes that rehabilitation work has started on the flyover.

Motorists and residents of the area have heaved a sigh of relief following the commencement of work on the failed portion of the flyover.

Two journalists, Mr Adekunle Jimoh and Mr Saka Laaro who live in one of the communities  along the route confirmed the joy of residents over the commencement of the repair work.