Over eight months since the completion of the Babatunde Idiagbon Flyover Bridge at Tanke in Kwara State, frustration continues to mount among residents and motorists as the state government has yet to open the bridge for public use.

The flyover bridge, named after the late General Babatunde Idiagbon, was expected to alleviate traffic congestion in the area and improve connectivity for residents.

However, its closure has led to inconvenience and hardship for commuters who anticipated its benefits.

A Kwara-based civic group known as Concerned Kwarans has also raised concerns over an uncommissioned bridge that has been completed but remains inaccessible to the public.

The group further called for immediate action to open the Idiagbon Flyover Bridge to alleviate the daily hardships faced by residents and to ensure that taxpayer-funded projects serve their intended purpose.

The group's convener, Comrade CB Bolakale, told SaharaReporters on Friday that the bridge is an asset that depreciates with time, by implication.

He noted that the fund invested in the bridge is losing its value without being used, and the government is being wasteful.

He explained that the bridge constitutes a safety hazard because motorists who aren't familiar with the terrain are at risk.

"Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq must realize that managing Kwara State is not akin to managing a personal business. The people of Kwara deserve to be informed and should have access to public infrastructure once completed.

"Moreover, the unopened bridge poses a safety hazard. Motorists unfamiliar with the area are at risk due to the incomplete integration of the bridge into the public roadway system. This not only endangers lives but also highlights the government's negligence in ensuring public safety.

"We argue that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq needs to stop treating Kwara State like his personal business and prioritize keeping Kwarans informed about the status of major projects. Transparent communication about public infrastructure is crucial for accountability and public trust."

The civic group also called for transparency in other notable projects such as the Garment Factory and the Innovation Hub.

He added that the state government should provide updates on the current status and future plans for these initiatives. Without regular updates, the public remains in the dark about the progress and benefits of these investments.

The State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, said that the kwara state government approved the construction of a Flyover at the Tanke Pipeline Junction in Ilorin metropolis to tackle the current and expected traffic logjam in that busy corridor.
 

SaharaReporters observed that the project was awarded to JMK Construction Company Limited at a cost of N2,272,899,200.00, with a completion period of 12 months.

However, after a series of backlashes by Kwarans doubting the competence of the company to handle the job, the State Government secretly withdrew the contract from JMK Construction Company.

 It was then awarded to City International Dimension Limited, supervised by the former State Ministry of Works, Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu. 

The contract was later  terminated due to poor construction, and finally awarded to Craneburg by the State government.

Meanwhile, the amount awarded for the reconstruction of the Tanke bridge to Craneburg was not disclosed to the public. 

When SaharaReporters contacted the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, he said the government was conscious of public safety.

According to him, "The bridge will be opened for use as soon as some ongoing ancillary works in its precinct are concluded. You can see that the government is erecting a couple of barriers here and there to ward off intruders to the road, guarantee safety and good travel experience in the axis."

"The government is conscious of public convenience as it is of safety, hence the opening of the two wings of the roads in the area to ease traffic. That has really helped a great deal. Even so, we are sorry for any inconveniences please," he said.