The Ekiti State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) says it has paid N71,481,380 as compensation to farmers and other Project Affected Persons (PAPs) in 12 of the 13 roads it awarded in July.
Speaking to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the State Project Coordinator, Sunday Adunmo, who noted that the beneficiaries were 217 farmers and other Project Affected Persons (PAPs) said RAAMP has also commenced the construction of a new mosque at Afolu in place of the old mosque which will be demolished later to allow creation of safe thoroughfare on the new road.
He said that compensation is a critical component of the project as Project Affected Persons must be properly compensated before the commencement of civil works on the roads.
Adunmo, who confirmed that site clearing had been completed on 12 roads, explained that there was a delay in the payment of compensation to farmers on Igbole-Egan-Osi-Iropora road following the need for revalidation of PAPs, hence the inability of the contractor to commence bush clearing.
The coordinator who noted that progress report on the 13 roads showed different percentages of work done by each of the contractors, commended the contractors handling Oye-Are road and Ben Folarin-Omisanjana-Oke Aso road for their work pace which has gotten to concrete works.
He expressed hope that Oye-Are road may be completed within 12 months should the contractor continue work at that t pace.
He stated that 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 speaking on the economic benefits of the project to Ekiti people, the project coordinator revealed that all the contractors are employing both skilled and unskilled labour from the various project-benefiting communities.
He added that the contractors had been mandated to procure construction materials that are available in the state in order to boost the economy of the state and curb capital flight.
Adunmo who stated that more road projects will be awarded in a couple of weeks, disclosed that the five pilot roads initiated by the project in 2021 will be revisited for upgrading.
The roads are Itaji-Orisunmibare, Iyin-Odo Oro-Aroto road, Ago Aduloju-Kajola, Imesi-Kosomolate-Ipole and Ogotun-Alagbede.
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