The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has clarified his comment over complaints by Nigerians on the deplorable state of federal roads across the country, saying he was misquoted.
Speaking over the weekend during his visit to Ondo State to inaugurate some road projects funded by Chief Micheal Ade-Ojo, popularly known as Elizade in Ifedore local government area of the state, Fashola explained that he never used the word ‘exaggerated.’
The Minister was on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, while speaking with State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting reported to have said that Nigerian roads were not as deplorable as the public has made them look.
“The roads are not as bad as they are often portrayed. I know that this is going to be your headline, but the roads are not that bad.”
Fashola’s comment didn’t land well on the ears of many Nigerians who took to social media and other channels to lambast the minister as being ignorant of the suffering of the masses who suffer daily due to bad state of roads across the country.
But speaking at Ilara-mokin, the Works Minister stated that contrary to insinuations on social media, he had travelled around the country on roads to access the condition of federal roads.
He again assured that the federal government would fix bad roads based on priority list.
His said, “Let me start from the journey by roads to the 36 states, 12 hours every day, so I know what I saw, and I also said what I wanted to say in that press conference.
“I didn’t use the word ‘exaggerated’, I didn’t say that and please go listen to what I say, thank you,” Fashola said.
He added that the federal government would not refund any state that rehabilitates or reconstructs federal roads, stressing that the bill for road refund from state governments was on the high side, amounting to #500 billion.
Meanwhile, Fashola had earlier commissioned about six kilometres road network constructed by the Founder of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Chief Ade-Ojo. The roads are Ikota-Ilara Mokin road and two Ilara township roads.
He called on wealthy Nigerians to emulate the great initiative of Chief Ade-Ojo who had singlehandedly developed his community with his personal wealth.
Speaking, Michael Ade-Ojo disclosed that he founded Elizade University and constructed some Ilara-Mokin township roads and to neighbouring towns like Ikota to immortalize his late wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Wuraola Ade-Ojo.
