The Ekiti State Coordinator for the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, Sunday Adunmo, announced that approximately N71.5 million has been distributed as compensation to farmers and others impacted by the rural road development projects.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, on Thursday during a media briefing, Adunmo mentioned that RAAMP will soon commence the enhancement of five rural roads initiated in 2021.
The project coordinator outlined the five roads selected for improvement as Itaji-Orisunmibare road, Iyin – Odo Oro – Aroto road, Ago Aduloju – Kajola road, Imesi -Kosomolate – Ipole road, and Ogotun – Alagbede road.
It is worth noting that over a decade has passed since local government elections were last conducted in Anambra State, with the most recent one held in 2014.
Consequently, all 21 local government areas in the state have been administered by caretaker transition committee chairmen appointed by the governor every three months.
He said, “We have paid N71.481m as compensation to farmers and persons affected in 12 of the 13 rural road construction contracts that RAAMP awarded in the state in July.
“The contractors have completed bush clearing on the 12 roads where compensations had been paid.
“There was a delay in the payment of compensation to farmers on Igbole – Egan – Osi – Iropora road following the need for revalidation of the affected persons hence the inability of the contractor to commence bush clearing”.
Adunmo mentioned that the status update on the 13 road contracts granted in July indicated varying levels of completion by each contractor.
He commended the contractors working on the Oye – Are Road and Ben Folarin -Omisanjana – Oke Aso road for their speedy progress, noting that they had already reached the stage of concrete work. He expressed optimism that the Oye – Are road could be finished within 12 months if the contractor maintains this rapid pace.
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He said, “There is no room for shoddy jobs as the ongoing construction works are being monitored by the Project Monitoring Committee and the various agencies of government in charge of project monitoring”.
While discussing the economic advantages of the project for the people of Ekiti, the Project Coordinator disclosed that all contractors were hiring both skilled and unskilled workers from the different communities benefiting from the project.
