World Bank to spend $60m to upgrade rural roads in Kwara

World Bank in partnership with the Kwara State government will spend $60 million for the upgrade of rural roads and markets across the 16 local government areas of the state under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).

Speaking at the launch of Alapa-Arobadi road in Asa local government area of the state on Wednesday, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq said that the 5.2 kilometres road would be upgraded to the surface dressed pavement.

The governor also said that his administration had paid a sum of N400 million as its counterpart funds for RAAMP to “make these huge interventions.”

Represented by his Deputy, Mr Kayode Alabi, the governor said that “under this project, the administration will upgrade 125 kilometres of roads to asphalt materials, carry out spot improvement on 450 kilometres of road and routine maintenance on 700 kilometres of road.

“The government will also carry out backlog of maintenance of 200 kilometres road, five river crossings will be fixed while some existing markets will be upgraded to hubs.

“We cannot claim to promote food security or seek investments from outside when the roads that lead to farmlands and other agricultural settlements are in bad shape. We cannot claim to seek a brighter future for future generations when our schools and other enabling infrastructure are in shambles. This is why this administration is committing so much resources in this regard.”

Earlier, RAAMP National Coordinator, Engineer Aminu Mohammed, said that World Bank alongside French Development Agency had identified no fewer than 130 roads spanning 1,144 kilometres for intervention under the project in the state.

Also speaking the state Coordinator of the project Engr. Abdulwahab Akorede said that the project has between six to seven years as its duration, adding that $6 million originally earmarked for the project could “increase depending on the performance of each of the 13 participating states in the programme.”

He listed the components of the project as improvement of rural access and trading infrastructure; construction of bridges and culverts of generally up to 15 metres clear span (river crossing); physical improvement of 5nos agro-logistic centres; spot improvement of approximately 200 kilometres roads per state and others.

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