Attah, Lamido open Hashim-funded road in Kwara

From Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin

One-time chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and ex-governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr Victor Obong Attah, and former foreign affairs minister and governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has commissioned a N102 million asphalt overlay road in a Kwara community.

The one-kilometre road, with drainages on both sides, was single-handedly funded by former All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim.

It was accolades from Chief Attah and Alhaji Lamido for the financier of the road project.

Former speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly Asimiyu Alarape, also on hand, hailed Olawepo-Hashim’s kind gesture.

In his remarks, ex-governor Attah said: “What the sponsor is giving us is a situation where our health can improve, our social life can improve, and there is improvement in the economic well-being of the people of the community.”

Tucked inside the belly of the Ifedolapo community in Ilorin, the state capital, the project is in addition to the constant helping hands of Olawepo-Hashim to the community, it was gathered.

On his part, the former Jigawa State governor urged Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq “to tar other roads that remain untarred in the community. The governor should support the sponsor so that he can do more.

“I know Olawepo-Hashim can do more. He is a very kind-hearted man. By the assemblage of ordinary folks of society here today, I am proud of you. It shows you are a man of the people.”

Also, former speaker Alarape encouraged the donor to do more.

“Olawepo-Hashim is a detribalised person. If he has brought money out of his pocket to do this, I know he can do more.”

Chairman of Ifedolapo, Engr Gani Adeshina, said: “The importance and usefulness of the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay therefore cannot be over-emphasised.

“It is our hope and desire that this project will add a new vista of development and progress in our fast-developing State of Harmony and Ifedolapo community in particular.

“There are those who are close to the government, those who have been in government, and those whose voices can easily reach the ears of the government.

“Without the fear of being seen to be guilty of repetition, our community is in dire need of the rehabilitation of our main access road from Excellence Hall to the Awolowo-Danialu Road end of the community. We call again on other well-meaning individuals and the state government to come to our aid and make the road accessible.

“These link roads therefore serve multiple purposes that relieve people from the Agbabiaka-Danialu-Awolowo Road and Akata axis to connect Tipper Garage in Tanke on one side and Mark-Ilesanmi-Sarab, all on the Tanke Oke Odo axis.”

Olawepo-Hashim simply remarked that the project “is our token of love and show of gratitude to God. That is why we are giving back to society.”