The Ekiti State Coordinator of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Sunday Adunmo, has announced that the state government has paid N71.5 million as compensation to farmers and other persons affected by its rural road projects. Adunmo made this disclosure during a press briefing in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Thursday.
According to Adunmo, the compensation was paid to those affected by 12 out of the 13 rural road construction contracts awarded by RAAMP in July. He noted that the contractors have completed bush clearing on the 12 roads where compensations have been paid, while there was a delay in the payment of compensation to farmers on one of the roads due to the need for revalidation of the affected persons.
“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” he said.
Adunmo also revealed that RAAMP would soon begin the upgrade of five rural roads initiated in 2021, including Itaji-Orisunmibare road, Iyin – Odo Oro – Aroto road, Ago Aduloju – Kajola road, Imesi -Kosomolate – Ipole road, and Ogotun – Alagbede road.
He commended the contractors handling Oye – Are Road and Ben Folarin -Omisanjana – Oke Aso road for their fast work pace, which has reached concrete works, expressing hope that Oye – Are road could be completed within 12 months if the contractor continues at that pace.
“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” he buttressed.
Adunmo assured that the project monitoring committee and various government agencies are closely monitoring the ongoing construction works to ensure that there is no room for shoddy jobs.
On the project's economic benefits to Ekiti people, Adunmo revealed that all the contractors are employing both skilled and unskilled labour from the benefiting communities, thereby creating job opportunities and stimulating economic growth.
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