From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Senator Kabiru Gaya, has said the Federal Government would complete the Ibadan-Ilorin Expressway by 2019,  14 years  construction of the highway started.
He disclosed this at the flag off ceremony of the remaining 52 kilometres that have not been constructed on the expressway, leading from Oyo to Ogbomoso. The ceremony was held at the boundary of the Oyo-Ogbomoso Road.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had awarded the road in 2002 and divided the highway to three lots. The first lot from Ibadan to Oyo and the third lot from Ogbomoso to Ilorin have been completed, while the second lot from Oyo to Ogbomoso was abandoned for many years.
Daily Sun gathered that the flag off of construction of the second lot was facilitated by Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, representing Oyo Central senatorial district in the National Assembly.
The project was officially flagged off by Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who emphasised the importance of good road network on economic development of any country, describing road infrastructure as a major contributor to economic development.
According to Gaya, the project was a cardinal point in the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, adding that the senate had summoned contractors that handled the construction of Ibadan-Oyo axis of the expressway for questioning on why the portion of the highway has become deplorable within three years of its completion.
His words: “I will urge the contractor to ‎ensure quality and speedy construction of the road. This road is very important to President Muhammadu Buhari, Oyo State and the country at large. We shall not tolerate shoddy work and even the contractor that constructed the Section  from Ibadan to Oyo will be probed and will be made to face the law.
“The agreement on that road was to live up to 15 years but unfortunately it’s not even up to three years after completion it has started washing away.”
Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) which got the contract, has resumed work on the road following approval of N6billion for the completion of the road by President Buhari.
The Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works in Oyo State, Mr. Anya Omorekpe, who represented Minister of Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, promised that the Federal Government would ensure speedy completion of the road, adding that the contractor handling the construction would be forced by the government to do quality job.
“The concentration of heavy truc‎ks on this road is about 80 per cent and that is why we shall separate it into two lanes. This work will be constructed along the specification of the Ministry of Works. We shall ensure that Nigerians must have value for their money,” he stated.