The desire of the people of Kaiama in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State to have a motorable road linking the ancient town remain the major challenge that had continued to thwart their commitment to bring industries to the town by the well-to-do indigenes. This, they believe that if this is in existence in the town, the quest to accelerate the socio-economic growth of the town will be achieved and this will also boost employment opportunities for their young graduates and therefore reduce rural-urban migration.

The ugly situation in the area had caused a lot of havoc over many years due to non-presence of good road linking the town via Kishi boundary town of Oyo State and this makes many of the residents of the town to take a very long journey through Oyo state before they can come to the state capital, Ilorin to do any business of their choice.

The town which is one of the food basket areas of the state has been isolated for a long period of years due to total neglect by the successive administrations to rise up to their needs in the reconstruction of the road. Although, the road really belong to the federal government but all the efforts being used by the eminent sons and daughters in various professional calling across the country to get the federal connection to ensure the reconstruction of the road yielded no result as the road continued to be unattended to by the federal government.

Even, the current chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon, Zakari Muhammed whose federal constituency falls within Kaiama and Baruten federal constituency has tried his efforts to ensure the road is brought to the national budget in 2011 but delay in the budget implementation has made the reconstruction of the road not to see the light of the day.

The road which is 64km length from Kishi- Kaiama continues to remain a death trap for the residents and marketers that used to ply the road for business transactions. The road which if it is motroable cannot take more than one and half hours to Kaima now takes between five and six hours depending on the type of vehicle that one is using on the raod.

This ugly development has made many residents of the area to be making use of motorbike especially during the rainy season to reach Kaiama town because during rainy season, it is always very difficult for any residents to get to the town on time due to the challenges that one will be experiencing on the road in view of gully erosion that had dug up almost of the ways.

However, based on this situation, the state government under the leadership of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed took the bull by the horns to take over the reconstruction of the Kaiama federal road by awarding it to qualified contractor and supervised consultant that would see that quality job is done on the road for the people of the community.

Although, some pundits in the state observes the time of the road intervention is late by the state government but what is most important is that, the people of the town will be witnessing a new dawn in the quest to have motorable road capable of fast-tracking the socio economic development of the town.

It will also be noted here that, this intervention of the state government on the federal roads in the state was not the first as the state government during the administration of former governor Bukola Saraki's government took over the Chikanda-Kosubosu federal road. The road which cost the state government a sum of over N2.2billion is yet to be paid to the state government coffers despite the fact that, there was standard agreement on the said raod with the federal government before the contractor moves into the site.

Speaking at the flag-off of the federal owned Kaima road in Kaima recently, the state governor, Alhaji Ahmed said, it is with a great sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that I join you today for the flag-off of this very important Kishi-Kaiama Road and the distribution of transformers of various ratings".

He said: "I am fulfilled because having pledged to rehabilitate this federal road since last year and connect more communities to the national grid, we are fulfilling that pledge with these interventions.

"Today, we once again demonstrate that whatever we pledge to the people we deliver to the people. "As you are all no doubt aware, Kaiama-Kishi Road had been on the drawing board for quite some time. It is a project that has received priority for obvious reasons. First, the rehabilitation of this road will eliminate the hardship experienced by motorists and commuters on this route.

"Secondly, this road will boost the socio-economic life of this area and its people, especially those engaged in farming, when completed. In doing these, we are also demonstrating to the people of Kaiama and indeed of Kwara State that we are an administration that matches its words with action".

Ahmed said: "Although this is a Federal Road, we are driven by the socio-economic factors and the need to promote the welfare of our people to intervene on this and other federal roads in the state. As a resourceful administration, we have secured necessary funding for jump-starting and successfully completing the project.

"The 64 kilometer Kaiama-Kishi Road is being reconstructed for a contract sum of N7.9 billion. It is important to emphasize as we flag off this road that the Federal Government is yet to refund the N4b outstanding balance for the rehabilitation of Ilesha Baruba-Chikanda Road more than five years after the road was completed.

"I once again call on the Federal Government to pay all monies owed the state as a result of our intervention on key roads in the state. Despite these setbacks, our administration will continue to intervene on federal and indeed other road projects in the state to reduce the discomfort caused by these roads. We also remain committed to ensuring that every community in our state no matter how remote will be connected to the national electricity grid through transformer installation."

The governor however added, "Let me therefore congratulate His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kaiama, members of the Emirate Council and the good people of this ancient town on this flag-off ceremony. I urge you to monitor the road projects to ensure effective and efficient implementation.

I also call on the contractor to handle the work with diligence, to deliver the projects to specification and target. "I assure you that Government will fulfill its part of the contract through prompt payment of contract sums as they fall due. "Perhaps it is imperative to use this forum to inform all Kwarans that it is not only Kaiama - Kishi Road that is being earmarked for reconstruction in the State.

In the next few days, we shall also flag-off the construction of Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara Road in Baruten Local Government Area, Maigida - Arobadi Road in Moro Local Government Area, Mission Road, Lafiagi, in Edu Local Government Area and the bye-pass from Asa Dam Road to Egbejila and Airport in Ilorin West Local Government Area. I assure you all that we shall deliver these roads at record time for the benefit of the people".

In his own comment at the occasion, the chairman of Kaima Local Government council, Alhaji Alhassan Yahaya Bagudu said that, the flag-off of the intervention road will go a long way of providing a lasting remedy for many years of suffering being experienced by the people of Kaima and its environment.

He said that the reconstruction of the road has put an end to the doubting Thomas that the state will not do the road despite the federal government negligence of the road for over 16 years now. The chairman who said that, the reconstruction of the road will enhance the socio economic development of the area said that, the town was known as food basket of the state and this would assist the local farmers to take their farm produce to the market without any problem.

He therefore assured that the people of the town and the entire local government would continue to support the government in the bid to move the state forward. Also speaking, a member of House of Representatives representing Kaima/ Baruten federal constituency at the national assembly, Hon. Zakari Muhammed said, "What we described as harrowing experience, which people of the area had been made to suffer for years is this Kaima road".

Hon. Mohammed who is also chairman, House committee on Media and Publicity lamented on attitude of the federal government over the deplorable condition of the road. According to him, "A journey that should ordinarily take between 40 minutes or one hour takes you about three hours and that's a very bad situation for the people".

He said: "That the state government is taking up the responsibility is a thing of joy for us in this part of the state and despite our lean resources, the governor has made us proud. We as political representatives and appointees of government too would have a place as people have been enduring this nightmare for so long. Imagine that a woman is under labour and she had to be moved to a hospital. Look at that journey. It's a very tough one and I know that what we need is people support and prayers so we can have desired impact.

"I know that the state government will do it, but the federal government we have today will definitely not do a refund for so many obvious reasons. We thank the governor for his foresight and commitment to this project and we thank our leader too, for facilitating this. The federal government shouldn't continue to abandon its responsibility to state governments without support. "For us in Baruten/Kaiama federal constituency, we are very grateful for this development as it would enhance economic development in this area", he said.

An indigene of the Kaima town, Alhaji Usman Mora said, "I feel highly happy because since the creation of the state we have been agitating for the construction of this road. To God be the glory it is happening today".

Mora who is also the state commissioner for Environment, said, "We thank God that this thing is also happening during our generation; which means it is a struggle that our forefathers had left for us that we are actualizing today.

"We thank God and the governor for listening to our cry. Today is a very historic day. We have three memorable days in the life of the council. They are the day the local government was created to us; the day our first class status was given back to us and today when the governor will launch the rehabilitation of the road. We thank the governor; our history will never forget him".

He therefore explained that, "We are quite aware that this road is a federal government road but for God sake, with this it has shown us that there is no need for federal ministry of works. Since federal government can't do our road. Federal government is in the position of authority, it has money and everything but nothing has come from them".

By and large, with the flag-off of the reconstruction of Kishi-Kaima road in the state, there is no doubt that it open up the area and therefore bringing more socio economic development to the people of the town.