••• Weeks after Works Ministry assured Rehabilitation
Motorists playing Ondo Road in Akure, the Ondo state capital have lamented the failure of the state ministry of Works to rehabilitate failed portions of the road.
They made the call while speaking with Roving Reporters on Mondayjust as two persons were injured in an accident along the road.
Roving Reporters had in August 27 reported the shady process of filling portholes on major roads in the state capital by officials of the state ministry of Works.
In a swift reaction, the ministry of Works through the State Director, Civil Engineering Department, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Funmilayo Oluwatayo debunked using concretes to patch the failed portions.
Oluwatayo said, “What we do presently, we are removing those silt from the drains, and at the same time, we are working on the failed portions.
“Working of the failed portions requires some processes. These processes involve cutting those failed portions into regular shapes. The regular shapes could be in rectangular form or in square form.
After cutting them into shapes, we will remove the failed materials on that particular spot that has been cut, and when this is removed, we will replace it with stone-base materials.
“And mind you, the stone-base materials we are using are tested ones. It has undergone some tests in the laboratory, because it comprises of some materials,- the stone-base and other aggregates of other different sizes. So, it has been tested.
“And when we filled this failed portions, we roll it, that is compact it, after compacting it, we now subject it to working load for some days by allowing traffic, vehicles to run over it.
“When we feel it is okay, after testing, we will now come back and dress the surface. When we dress it, we will now prime it and put the asphalt. This is how we carry out the maintenance job. This is how we will complete all the failed portions.”
21 days after the reaction, Roving Reporters observed that the portholes are bad again making it difficult for road users to ply and causing accidents.
Those who spoke with Roving Reporters lamented the failure of the ministry of Works to do the needful instead of dragging works on the rehabilitation of the road.
