By: Balogun Tumininu.
A civic organization, Kwara Concerned Group, has expressed concern over the abandoned General Tunde Idiagbon Flyover at Tanke Tipper Garage, Ilorin, nearly three years after its conception.
The group questioned the transparency and quality of work on the project, initially valued at N2.272 billion, citing repeated completion date extensions and allegations of substandard workmanship.
Awarded to JMK Construction Company Limited in November 2021, the project aimed to ease traffic congestion. However, residents suggested alternative routes would be more effective.
The group demanded:
1. Urgent address of safety concerns
2. Transparent inquiry into allocation and execution
3. Comprehensive breakdown of funds expended
4. Consideration of dismantling the structure if necessary
They emphasized the public’s right to confidence in infrastructure projects, calling for accountability and transparency.
Read full address here:
TEXT OF THE ADDRESS READ BY MEMBERS OF KWARA CONCERNED GROUP ON THE ABANDONED STATUS OF GEN TUNDE IDIAGBON FLYOVER LOCATED AT TANKE TIPPER GARAGE, ILORIN. DATE: 19TH SEPTEMBER, 2024
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, distinguished members of the Kwara Concerned Group, and fellow citizens of Kwara State.
We have convened today to address the pressing and lingering concerns surrounding the failure of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led Kwara State Government to commission for public use, the General Tunde Idiagbon Flyover here at Tanke, despite nearly three years passing since its conception. This unsettling situation has given rise to profound questions about transparency, due process, and the overall quality of work being conducted on this pivotal infrastructure project.
Gentlemen of the press, the Tanke Flyover project named after one of Kwaran’s most prominent heroes was set in motion on the 3rd of November 2021 through a cabinet resolution address to the public by Hajia Sa’adat Moddibo Kawu who was the then Commissioner for Tertiary Education, with the noble objective of easing traffic congestion and enhancing transportation infrastructure in the Ilorin metropolis especially, Tanke Tipper Garage which leads to the foremost University of Ilorin. Despite the mixed reactions from the public, with most people urging the government to reconsider its decision to construct the Flyover, there is a belief that expansion of the existing road would serve the area better and solve the supposed traffic challenge rather than a flyover. Some residents of the area have also appealed to the state government to prioritize fixing and opening up alternative routes within the axis, however, the contract for the construction of this flyover was awarded to a less-known local company, JMK Construction Company Limited, for a substantial sum of N2,272,899,200.00, with a completion timeline of 12 months.
Despite the substantial financial allocation to the project, the projected completion dates have been repeatedly deferred, with assurances from the immediate past and the incumbent Commissioners for Works, Engr. Rotimi Iliasu and Hon. Abdulqowiy Olododo, failing to materialize. The initial 12-month completion period has been extended multiple times without cogent reasons, stirring deep concerns about the management and oversight of this critical project.
Moreover, reports, and firsthand observations from concerned citizens and stakeholders have yielded troubling indications of compromised quality and safety of the flyover. Damning accounts of substandard workmanship have surfaced online, and apprehensions have been expressed regarding the integrity of the structure once it is eventually opened to the public. All these were blatantly disregarded by the government through a series of propaganda and statements from the media arms of the State Government.
The absence of transparency and adherence to due process in the award and execution of the project has also triggered significant consternation from the general public Including members of this group. Allegations of clandestine cost escalations and the engagement and termination of multiple contractors have also fueled suspicions about the management of public funds earmarked for this project.
The Kwara Concerned Group deems this state of affairs utterly unacceptable, and we unreservedly implore the Kwara State Government to conscientiously address these concerns with the utmost expediency. However, should genuine safety apprehensions hinder the unveiling of the flyover, the government should give precedence to the well-being of its populace and CONSIDER THE PROSPECT OF DISMANTLING THE STRUCTURE IF NECESSARY.
Additionally, we are also calling for a thorough and transparent inquiry into the entire process encompassing the allocation and execution of the Tanke Flyover project whilst demanding, on behalf of fellow citizens and residents of the state, a comprehensive breakdown of the funds expended to date. The citizens of Kwara State are entitled to have confidence in the probity and calibre of public infrastructure undertakings, and the TANKE FLYOVER IS NO EXCEPTION.
In summation, we entreat the government to accord precedence to the welfare and safety of its populace above all else and to expeditiously address the issues surrounding the Tanke Flyover, preferably, open it to public use without further delay. The people of Kwara are vigilantly observant, and they unequivocally merit complete accountability and transparency in this matter.
Thank you.