Experts Raise the Alarm over Poor Quality  of  Tunde-Idiagbon Flyover in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A coalition of experts under the aegis of Kwara State Association of Young and Native Indigenous Contractors (KSAYNIC) has raised the alarm over the alleged ongoing unprofessional works  on the Tunde-Idiagbon Flyover bridge at Tanke area of Ilorin in Ilorin South Local Government Area of the state.

They, however, warned road users to be cautious when plying the flyover when finally completed by the contractor.

The state government has set aside over N2.1billion to embark on the construction of the flyover.

The project is slated for completion and handover to the government  by the contractor handling the project for December 2022 before it was shifted to this year.

However, a statement issued in Ilorin yesterday by a coalition of experts and made available to journalists, however, described the level of work done on the site  as unprofessional and distasteful, and should not be  hurriedly completed for road users in the state.

The statement which was signed by the  state Chairman of  the association, Dado Kola-Babaita, stated that: “The ongoing road projects initiated by Governor  AbdulRazaq-led government are a dangerous haven and should be avoided by motorists.

 “We have come to the reality that the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in his quest to hurriedly complete and inaugurate some of the ongoing road projects before the expiration of his tenure, has availed the contractors an avenue to carry out substandard work on the major road constructions in the state.

“The mad rush on these road projects could pose a great and unavoidable danger to road users. We, as a body of professionals, have reliably gathered that some of the road constructions that were recently constructed and rehabilitated now have holes deep enough to keep fingerlings. The roads won’t stand the test of time.

“During our on-the-spot inspection at the ongoing Tunde-Idiagbon flyover bridge, at that time when the foundation was being laid, the pipework and some of the components were fixed, it was well managed by the contractor.

 “Subsequently, when we revisited the construction site, we noticed that the finishing of some of the retaining works was not near to perfect.”

The statement  added: “The honeycombs were being exposed. In a construction site like that, when the honeycombs are being exposed, you will notice the concrete wall to be weak and not smooth enough for the viability of such projects.

“We have reliably gathered that the Kwara State Government has been in a hurry to inaugurate the bridge after the promise to complete the project by December 2022 failed.

“Now, the government has intensified so much pressure on the contractors to complete the bridge.

“To us, as a professional body, whenever the client is mounting pressure on contractors in engineering works, especially bridge construction, it could cause a grave calamity.

“And things like these wouldn’t be considered when pressure sets in. Every contractor will want to be in a good relationship with the client and at the same time mount pressure on other workers at work.

“So, the workers will not have enough time to supervise the work and will definitely rush to finish the project to meet up with the targets.”

The professional body, therefore, promised not to rest on their oar in informing Kwarans of the condition of their newly constructed roads.